Broaden her Horizon
by PixieDreamer21
Summary: High School is about branching out, making new friends, having new experiences. For Riley Mathews starts drifting from her old friends after Lucas tells her she is too much.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meet World, Boy Meets World, or anything like that. I just had an idea this morning while I was trying to sleep and I had to write it.

Summery: Friends in High School drift apart and maybe it's that time for Riley to branch out. (Set after Lucas *apparently* tells her she is too much for him)

Rated: K+ maybe a curse word or two

Author's Note: This is not meant to be a Maya, Lucas, Farkle, Smackle, Zay bash. I like all the characters but this is just in my head.

XOXOX

 _(September)_

They say in high school, friends drift apart. That it's very rare for friends from middle school to stay friends all through out high school.

For Riley Mathews, her drift was almost gradual.

It was a week after school started when Lucas told her she was too much for him and stormed away, only for him to go running to Maya that night to talk to her.

She was humiliated of course, but she didn't make a scene, she didn't cry in front of her friends, she just stood there; frozen and unable to move while the people she is suppose to be closest to walked away from her.

That night when she got home all the pain from the past year and a half caught up to her. All the times her parents ran to help Maya when she was in need, but bypassing their own daughter's pain. All the rejection she faced in school with her classmates and the cheer coach but expected to still have a cheery smile when things didn't go the way she hoped. Her Godfather loving her best friend but not her...Lucas telling Charlie they were an unofficial thing and yet as soon as he knew Maya might like him, he tried to make things work with her. Her own feelings being patronized time and time again.

The pain she was feeling was unbearable, she wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to claw at her skin until all she could see was red! She wanted to do all those things but she was just too tired. She was tired of being the dopey sunshine girl her "friends" thought she was. She wanted to expand her horizon and find out who she really is. She wanted people to hear her and actually listen to her point of views and take them seriously. She wanted to be looked at like an equal to her friends and not someone to overlook.

As she climbed into bed that night she dreamed of new possibilities.

XOXOX

In middle school when she had an identity crisis, she dramatically changed her appearance and wanted to make people see how much they effected her with their hurtful words.

This time however, she did nothing like that; she didn't care if her friends or classmates noticed her change, she was doing this for herself. Yes, she went shopping and bought some darker cloths to add to her normal wardrobe, and yes, she started wearing a little eyeliner but nothing for anyone to notice unless they looked too closely. And of course, no one did.

In her father's classes, she was still there in the front row, taking notes but she didn't really pay attention when he got into his life lessons with her friends. Her dad was trying to subtly tell Maya that Shawn wants to propose to her mom and Maya was just not getting it. She'll figure it out eventually.

He hands back her last History quiz without a word and she stares at her D without emotion, trying not to remember when Maya did bad on her quizzes and tests, he would give her privet extra credit.

Maya looks at her confused when she sees her grade and Riley just shrugs and crumbles the paper into a ball in her hands, right in front of her father. She closes her eyes and tries to stop herself from screaming at her him; she just wants him to see her for crying out loud! Her pain gets so tempting she has to hold her wrist to keep from digging her nails into her skin until they draw blood.

He gives her a look but doesn't say anything. He never does.

The first couple days after her fight with Lucas, she still goes to lunch and sits with her friends watching them as Maya and Lucas flirt, Farkle and Smackle talk about their AP classes, and Zay looks between her and Lucas and Maya to see if she would say anything to cause a scene.

After a week, she decides enough is enough and goes to the library for lunch. It's a nice little school library where most of the people go during their study hall to finish writing papers that were due that day or go on their phone to do whatever... Riley however, immediately goes to the Fiction section of the shelves and looks around for something to read to pass the time.

She picks up "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" when she hears movement behind her.

"Oh I love that book! Have you read it?" She turns around and sees a dark haired Latina girl with glasses looking at her...or well looking at the book.

Riley holds up the book and shakes her head.

"Not yet. You said it's good?" She asks her politely.

"Oh yeah...it's one of my favorites. I just saw the movie too a couple weeks ago and it didn't completely suck." The girl laughs quietly almost as if she was surprised to be talking that much.

Riley smiles at her.

"I think I'm going to read it. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm Riley by the way." She says and holds out her hand.

The girl smiles back and takes her hand with a small shake.

"I'm Zoe, nice to meet you." She says as she plops her bag down in the corner and sits down.

"So do you like reading or just looking to escape reality for awhile?" Zoe jokes as she pulls out her own book from her bag that reads "Asylum" by Madeleine Roux

Riley looks at her for a moment before giving a shy smile.

"Definitely looking to escape for a long while. Can I sit?" She asks and Zoe nods and makes some room.

"Just so you know, once you get lost into the books, you never get out. Reading can get addicting." Zoe laughs and Riley smiles.

"That is something I can live with." Riley says and she finds herself actually looking forward to it.

And that was a start of a beautiful friendship.

XOXOX

It took the gang almost a week to realize Riley stopped coming to lunch. Farkle looked around frantically to try and see if she was sitting with other people but no, Riley wasn't in the cafeteria.

"Guys...where's Riley?!" He asked and everyone just looks at each other confused for a minute.

"I don't know...has she even been here at lunch all week?" Zay asks and everyone just shakes their head almost ashamed at not noticing their friend was missing.

"Maybe she's with her dad?" Smackle suggests and Maya shakes her head.

"No, he has a class now."

"Do you think she is mad at us?"

"I don't know Lucas, would YOU be mad if your friends didn't notice you were gone all week?!"

"Alright Farkle, calm down this isn't Lucas' fault!"

"You're right Maya, it's both of your faults right now!" Farkle exclaims before standing up and throwing his lunch away.

As much as he loves all his friends, he can't help but resent them for making one of his best friends so upset. He knew Riley was getting depressed but he didn't want to stick his nose into it like he did with her feelings for Lucas. He didn't want to cause his friend anymore pain, and yet he didn't notice she was missing either.

As he storms out of the cafeteria just as the bell rings he stops when he sees Riley with a couple girls and guys laughing about something.

Has Riley moved on from their friendship?

(October)

After everyone finally notices Riley isn't around as much as she used to be, they start looking at her and notice some changes. How her cloths were a little edgier and darker than they used to be. How she started carrying around a leather bound journal with her and would scribble away something at random, like she was constantly thinking of other things and never in what was going on around her.

They all see that during History she will say almost nothing when her father is talking, even when he is trying to engage her in the discussion. He doesn't say anything to her just hands her back her grades which are usually As and moves on.

And yet in English which she only shares with Zay and Lucas she is always involved in the group discussion of whatever book they are reading. They see that she passionately gives her views and even when someone doesn't agree with her, she would talk her point out until they could see where she was coming from; if they didn't agree with her, she accepted their opinion as their own and moved on. Their teacher Mrs. McLean would always compliment her insightful views and usually asks her opinion in every topic.

Science is a class she shares with Farkle and Smackle since it's her only AP class. She really took her STEM speech in middle school seriously and put a lot of effort into all her classes, but science especially. Since Farkle and Smackle are lab partners, Riley has some guy named Mike as hers and from what they can tell, they work well together and get along. Farkle noticed him as one of the guys she hangs out with in the library and wonders how well they got along.

She still talks to them of course, but now that they were paying attention they could see her heart was never into what they were discussing or doing. She almost never hung out with them after school and if she did it would only be for an hour and she would have to go do something.

They never saw her at lunch anymore and even though Farkle knew where she was, he didn't think it was his place to tell the others. If she was happy, he wasn't going to stop her.

One day after school Maya, Lucas, Farkle, Zay, and Smackle were sitting in Topanga's thinking about going to the movies when once again they noticed Riley was not there with them. When Maya texted Riley asking her what she was doing, she just texted back that she was home.

"Why don't we go and surprise her, she's probably bored at home alone." Maya suggested and they all agree. They climb up to her window, expecting her to be at the bay window but she wasn't there!

"If she's home, she's always at bay window!" Maya said in disbelief as they all pour into her bedroom.

"Maybe she's in the bathroom?" Smackle says and they wait a couple minutes to see if they could surprise her but she didn't come in.

"Come on, lets look to see what she's doing." Lucas says a little worried. He hasn't spoken to her in a long time and he really missed her. He knows he hurt her but she was still his friend. She was always one of his favorite people to talk to and he hasn't spoken to her in over a month. He never got to apologize for what he said to her.

They all walk quietly to the living room and stop when they see Riley laying in the living room bay window engrossed in a book! She was listening to some instrumental music with her phone on her stomach. This was definitely not their Riley!

"Hey Riles, whatcha doing?" Maya asks softly yet still making the young brunette jump. Riley looks around to see all her old friends in her living room so she closes her book and gives a little smile.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asks them softly as she gets up and moves towards the couch to sit down.

They all sit down around her and look at her confused.

"We are worried about you honey. You haven't been acting like yourself." Maya says softly and Riley looks at her blankly.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm fine." She replies and Maya looks even more worried.

"We know that isn't true. You disappear all the time, you're dressing differently. Is someone bothering you again?" The blonde asks and Riley's look hardens.

"That's your miraculous conclusion?! That because I'm not around 24/7, someone must be harassing me? Maybe this is who I am, and I'm sorry if you can't accept that, but that's not my problem." Riley asked them all in disbelief. She can't believe the nerve of them! They finally notice her after a month and think she needs to be saved?! Like poor little Riley has to be in trouble like the damsel in distress that she is.

"Riley, I know you better than you know yourself and I know something is seriously wrong right now!" Maya protests hurt at her best friend's actions.

Just then her phone rings making everyone look at her surprised when she smiles and answers it.

"OH MY GOD DID YOU FINISH THE BOOK YET?!" They all hear a female voice ask her and she laughs a little.

"No I didn't yet. Some people stopped by." Riley answers. They all looked at each other upset, Riley has never referred to them as "some people" they were supposed to be her best friends. What was going on?

"WELL HURRY UP GIRL, I'M FREAKING OUT OVER HERE!" They girl laughed and Riley laughed with her.

"Don't worry, give me like ten minutes then I'll call you okay?"

"Okay babe, bye!" Riley hung up the phone and saw everyone looking at her.

"What?" She asked.

"Who was that?" Farkle asked politely making Riley smile at him. No matter what happens when them, she knows out of all her old friends Farkle is the one who supports her the most.

"Oh that's my friend Zoe. We are in book club together." She answered and Zay smirks.

"Book Club? What are you eighty?" He jokes and Riley glares at him.

"Not just old people read for fun Zay, maybe you should try it some time!" She says as she stands up.

They could all see she was getting upset and they didn't know what to do. Riley has never been like this before. She was always the ray of sunshine making everyone else happy.

Riley looks at everyone blankly and takes a deep breath to calm herself.

"Okay guys I'm going to give you some real talk right now about why this is happening. Maya, I'm so tired playing second fiddle to you. Everyone in my life chooses you; my parents who notice every emotion on your face yet can't tell my fake smiles from my real ones, my godfather who never tried to bond with me until he met you and even now only talks to me about you, Lucas, Farkle, our classmates, everyone! Yet, despite that, it's sunshine Riley that's suppose to turn everyone's frowns upside down! It's so hard trying to make everyone happy, especially you, in this group of friends when you couldn't see MY pain! Farkle would have but after what happened on New Years, he backed off and while I appreciate that from him, I do, but in doing that I lost him too! Zay, you were so supportive of Lucas and Maya flirting all the time, not giving a shit that it hurt me, because why would it!? It's only little Riley with a crush, Maya's feelings are REAL; we need to support her because she hasn't had the best life. Meanwhile, my life and my feelings were constantly being pushed to the side by you guys and for a long time I let you but I'm done with that now." She takes another breath about to say more.

"Riley, I know things have been weird between us, but can me and you just talk alone for a second?" Lucas asks her softly hoping he could talk to her and calm her down. She was so important to all of them; they don't want to lose her but it seems like Riley is just pushing them away.

Unfortunately that just made Riley get angrier.

"You know what Lucas, no, we can't talk. When you were in the middle of Maya and I and you tried choosing friendship then changed your mind, I accepted that but I'm done caring who you like more. I'm not naive enough to think that you'd choose me when you can have her. You said I was too much for you and that's fine; I hope you and Maya are happy together; but stop dragging me back into your charm. This is me choosing myself and my happiness for once in my life. Now, I'm in the middle of something and I think it's time for you all to leave." She says calmly and walks towards her front door and opens it for them, closing the conversation.

They all slowly walk out and look at their friend that they don't even recognize anymore. Maya and Lucas look especially pained when Riley closes the door on them.

"We need to talk to Mr. Mathews." Maya says strongly before walking away.

When Riley goes back to her book she's so angry that even when she finishes it, she's not as excited as she knew she should be. Zoe calls her later but she was too upset to talk and asked if it would be okay for them to talk tomorrow at the library.

She goes to her room and lies down in her bed. She knows where they are coming from but she can't help but be so angry at them all for only noticing her now. She is supposed to be their friend and yet they haven't noticed her silently screaming for over a year now. It's only when she starts thinking of herself that they think she needs help.

We accept the love we think we deserve. Ever since she read Perks of Being a Wallflower, that quote has been swirling in her head. For so long she thought it was her place to make everyone happy, even at her own happiness' expense. Yet now, when she starts doing things that make HER happy, they just want her to go back to being the goofy little ball of sunshine. She feels like they want to put her in a cage when all she wants to do break free.

She knows they are going to talk to her parents which only makes it worse. Her dad hasn't noticed and he sees her more than anyone. Her mom hasn't noticed either, only when she asked where Maya has been. It pains her that her mom can call her "best friend" an Amazon Warrior when she was upset and yet when her own child's armor has shattered she doesn't bat an eye.

She picks up her phone and sends a message to her Uncle Josh and her Uncle Eric who she's been talking to more and more since she started high school. Unlike everyone else, both her Uncles have been more than supportive of her branching out of her comfort zone to figure out who she is. During this month she has gotten closer to them and appreciates them as her family. Uncle Eric has been especially helpful in making her feel better when it comes to her drifting apart from her old friends. He tells her that she is not her mom or dad, who were lucky to stay friends with each other and Shawn all their lives but not everyone gets that. It's okay for her to make new friends and as he says "spread her little bird wings and fly like no tomorrow"

After encouraging words from both of them, she calms herself down and gets ready for the day tomorrow.

TBC!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Note: WOW thank you guys so much for the love! I'm so happy people like this story so far. I think there is only going to be one more chapter. Oh and a guest wrote they like the story but they are a Rucas shipper and I think it might appear that I'm a Farkle/Riley shipper but I'm not lol. I'm a hardcore Rucas shipper, if you look me up on Tumblr you'd know. However, I LOVE Farkle, I love his friendship with Riley and wanted to show that he's usually the most supportive out of all of the friends without motive. ANYWHO I hope you guys like this. Please review and let me know thank you thank you!

XOXOX

"What is friendship?" She hears her dad ask the class the next morning and Riley has to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Really, this is how he is going to try and save their friendship?! What does this even have to do with history!? They are supposed to be learning about the Holocaust. No wonder teachers think her father is bat shit crazy.

"Maya?" He asks her fondly.

"Friendship is like history...it's going through so many things together and being there for each other." She says softly looking at Riley sadly.

"Samantha?" He asks to make it look less obvious on what this is about.

"Friends are like the family you choose...the people you care about and help more than others." She answers.

"Farkle?"

"Friends are people you would do anything for. Even if it hurts you at times." Riley turns around and she gives him a small smile as he looks at her tenderly.

Riley raises her hand.

"Yes Riley?"

"Can I go to the bathroom?" She asks and he looks at her disappointingly.

"I really think you should stay here. Wait until after class." He replies and is about to ask something else when she raises her hand again.

"I have my period and need to go to the bathroom right now." Riley lies knowing he can't stop her if she says that and stands up to grab her books and back pack.

Just as she is about to leave she looks over at Maya and Lucas.

"Next time, try and talk to me instead of running to my clueless father."

And with that she walks out of class and doesn't come back.

When she goes to the library at lunch she looks at her friends Zoe, Mike, Lucy, and Octavio fondly. They are all sitting at one of the rounded tables with the book "Gone Girl" in front of them.

"Riley!" They all exclaim when they see her and she smiles as she walks near them.

"Alright who's ready to talk about the craziness that is this book and why I'm in no rush to get married!?" She jokes as she sits down next to her friends.

"Oh I am but make sure Zoe tells you what we are doing for Halloween! We are having a old horror movie marathon and you HAVE to be there!" Mike her new friend and Biology partner says excitedly.

These people care about her and value her opinion, why is it a bad thing that she wants that instead of her old friends that never took her seriously?!

XOXOX

After school she walks home and sees her mother and father at the kitchen table looking at her seriously. She supposes she couldn't avoid them and their opinions forever.

"Hey." She says as she puts her bag down and takes out her journal.

"Come here sweetie, we need to talk." Topanga says and moves out the bench for her to sit. Riley sits down wordlessly and looks at her two parents without emotion. Thankfully, she saw this coming and she has some back up.

"Where's Auggie?" She asks them trying to stall them.

"With Ava, but that's not what we are talking about. We need to talk about you and this new attitude." Corey says and Riley looks at him in disbelief and almost humor.

"Why, because I don't like that Maya and the rest of them go running to you to fix their problems?" She asks and Corey looks at her almost hurt. He's probably just upset she's talking about Maya so harshly. After all the poor girl has been through so much.

"That is exactly what we are talking about Riley. This is not you; we want you to talk to us." Topanga says softly trying to get her daughter to open up to her. With that, Riley has had enough!

"I really don't know why I should. I have been trying to get you both to see how miserable I've been for too long and you haven't noticed. For almost two years, you BOTH haven't noticed nor cared about the suffering I've been going through. It's only when Maya comes to you that you drop everything. If you love her so much why don't you be her parents? Oh wait, SHAWN, my Godfather that never gave me the time of day is about to be her new father! Now he doesn't have to pretend to like me, he will have a new step daughter to worry about!

I'm finally happy with how things have been going in my life. I am finding friends that genuinely give a crap about me and not just about me making them happy. I talk to family that don't think of me as a dumb little bimbo that will never amount to anything! I have people that don't look at me like I'm a naive idiot just because I like to see the good in everything and I REFUSE to let you take that away from me! I REFUSE to let you make me go back to being that girl who stays in the shadows while pretending that the world is mine. Because it has never been MINE! It's been yours, it's been Maya's, it's been Lucas' but it has never been mine!" Riley was shouting by the time she was finished with little tears streaming down her eyes as she looks at her parents.

Just as Corey was about to say something, the door opens and Eric and Josh walk in. Riley quickly jumps up and wraps her two uncles into big hugs.

"You ready to go my little Neech?" Uncle Eric asks fondly as he wipes some of the tears from her eyes and she gives a smile at her little nickname. Her Uncle Eric and her can relate so much; too many people look at Uncle Eric like he is an idiot and have been since he was in high school. He keeps telling her not to let people bring her down because that's what he did. He didn't make it in any college so people thought he was stupid when in reality he was more focused on girls and looking good than studying and applying himself and after awhile he started acting how people expected him to. What was the point of trying to make people take you seriously when you thought they never would? It was something he told her he would never let happen to her.

"Yes please!" She says as she grabs her jacket.

"Eric, Josh, Riley needs to stay here; we all need to talk." Topanga says trying to sound stern but her voice crackles as she processes what her daughter just said to her. Has she really been miserable for

that long?! Hoe could she not see it? That's her daughter, her baby girl.

"Sorry Topanga, but I'm over ruling you right now. Riley needs to talk to people that aren't bias over her friends." Eric says seriously to them for the first time in a long time. There were times in his life he resented Corey, Topanga, and Shawn's bond but right now he is glad he never had to deal with the effects if that friendship turned south like Riley is right now.

"We are her parents Eric, we are always on her side!" Corey exclaims and Josh shakes his head at his older brother.

"No...no your not. Go talk to your Amazon Warrior and we will talk to our niece who is amazing at things other than sleeping and dressing nice! You're daughter is a diamond among people and I'm sick of you constantly viewing her as a stone." Josh says to them angrily. He hasn't been able to look at those two after Riley admitted to them her parents told her she is really good at sleeping or that they didn't believe she was a little genius, when she really needed a parent to talk to give her the confidence she was missing. Even if they were joking that's no excuse for them not to see that Riley was slowly falling apart and needed her parents' help.

Right now Topanga and Corey are failing Riley and him and Eric refuse to watch that happen.

Both parents look at the three like they've been slapped. There's no way they overlooked Riley that much...right!?

The two uncles take Riley out of the house without a word.

They don't even hear a word from Riley until she leaves them a note on Halloween with an address of where she was and that she was staying at her friend's Zoe's house. They were so ashamed that they didn't even know who Zoe was.

( _November_ )

Not much changed after the giant blow up from Riley to both her parents and her middle school group of friends. Corey decided that he wasn't doing enough as her teacher and tried to force the group of friends to talk by telling the cafeteria monitor that Riley has been skipping lunch to go to the library so she was forced by the Vice Principal to be in the cafeteria during her lunch period.

Riley knew she was ratted on but she didn't let that bother her or cause a scene like she knew was expected of her. She just would go to the lunch room, sit down with her headphones on and eat her lunch in silence. Farkle would sit down next her along with the rest of the group but she wouldn't say a word voluntarily to any of them for a long time.

They all tried to talk to her. Maya would try and go to bay window but she was shocked to find that her window was locked! What hurt worse was Riley's friendship ring was sitting on the window sill. It broke her heart because it was Riley that wanted her to promise that they would always stick together and yet it was Riley that abandoned her. Her best friend abandoned her, just like everyone else in her life has. She misses her best friend; she's been wanting to talk to her about Shawn proposing to her mom since it happened but she hasn't had the chance. She knows Shawn knows about what's been going on, she's sure Mr. Mathews told him and he is trying to be helpful and supportive to her which she appreciated and yet she couldn't help but notice that Riley had a point about what she said to her.

Shawn never put an effort into knowing Riley, and it must have hurt her to see that someone she's wanted to know her whole life, someone who her parents loved so much chose someone he just met over his own god child. That he left New York almost immediately after she was born.

Lucas has been very quiet since everything happened. For him, this whole situation hurt him more than he could ever describe. Riley was the first person that welcomed him to New York. She was the one that always believed in him. She was the one who said he could be anything he wanted to be whether it be a vet, a bull rider, or whatever; she believed in him and now she can't even look at him. He's had strong feelings for her since they first met; whether those feelings were romantic or not he's always been unsure of. That's why he's been so confused about her and Maya because he cares about them both so intensely; one platonic and one romantic and yet he can't tell his own feelings apart. They are just so strong that not being in her life was killing him. When she pushed her feelings aside so Maya could be happy it just threw him for a loop. He was angry at her for saying she didn't like him; that her feelings weren't as strong as his; that's why he thought maybe it was Maya that he really liked and tried to figure it out. He lashed out on Riley for confusing him; he hurt her more than anyone. It was his fault she ran away from their friendship and he can't really blame her.

He's sent her texts, also tried to go to the bay window to find it locked, went to her front door and nothing. She wouldn't even buzz him in her apartment complex. He started hating himself and even Maya for putting each other in this situation. If Maya didn't admit to Riley that she was starting to like him in Texas, everything would have been fine. In a way, he resented Maya for bringing this drama but he knew that was unfair. Her feelings are her own and she had every right to express them but after everything; he just can't deal with any dating. He stopped flirting with Maya and was slowly starting to become Texas Lucas again. Why shouldn't he, if Riley wasn't around to see the best in him, how could anyone else?

Farkle was the only one that could get even a slight reaction out of Riley. Sometimes at lunch, he would bring her books he's read that he thinks she would like. When he gives them, she will just smile a little and scribble something in her journal. What Farkle didn't tell the others was that he wrote things in the book that Riley would have to see. Just little things like he misses her, he knew about her being in the library and didn't tell anyone, how he just wants her to be so happy because he will always want her to be happy. How she doesn't need to make everyone happy to be the sunshine in his life. He tells her things he should have been telling her their whole friendship.

When she'd finish, she would hand him back the book and say thank you and tell him if she liked it or not. Usually she did, and on some days, Farkle and can even get into book discussions. She never mentioned the notes, but he can tell that she read all of them. It wasn't much, but it was more than anyone else got.

By the end of the month, it was almost time for Thanksgiving and Zoe was telling Riley she was having a Friendsgiving and wanted her to come.

"Oh come on! It's the Friday before Thanksgiving so you won't be missing any family time!" She says and Riley shakes her head at her friend's goofiness. The first day she met Zoe, she came off so shy, but once she let you in her life she was like a hurricane of fun, friendly, and protectiveness.

"Oh you don't have to worry about that. I wish I didn't have to go to Thanksgiving at all." Riley mumbles and Zoe goes somber. She knows her relationship with her family and friends were strained and wanted to help her new friend yet didn't want to push her. She knows that Riley is still depressed over how she was treated and pushing her to them would only make it worse. Riley has become an important person in her life and only wants what's best for her.

"Unfortunately chica you do have to go to Thanksgiving, but why don't you come to Friendsgiving too?! Come on! Ohana! You know what that means!" Zoe jokes and Riley starts laughing.

"I know, I know, Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind..." She stops and looks at Zoe to finish the sentence.

"Or forgotten!" She says with a giant smile.

Riley shakes her head at her.

"You know that's Hawaiian right? You're Dominican." She points out.

"Ah but Disney trumps heritage." She winks as she stands up.

"Alright you go to lunch, I'm going to the library before Lucy and Octavio start cursing each other in Spanish again over Mrs. McLean's view on Hamlet. Te quiero mucho!" She says before giving her friend a quick hug and walking down the hall.

When she tells her parents at dinner she's going to a Friendsgiving on Friday night, she looks at them and waits for the lecture...

Topanga looks at her husband in a silent communication.

"What are you and Zoe going to be doing?" She asks her daughter softly. She's talking to her own daughter like she was a scared animal; one wrong move and she would bolt. It kills her to know she has to be so careful with her own child. She also knows if she doesn't try and be supportive of Riley broadening her horizons, she will lose her.

Riley shrugs.

"I think it's just going to be all of us eating junk food and watching The 100." She replies and Corey looks at her curiously.

"The 100?" He asked.

"Yeah, we all read The 100 book series but agree that the TV show is so much better, so we watch old episodes on Netflix and watch new episodes on The CW website." She says and Auggie looks at his big sister excitedly.

"Oh sounds cool! Can I go?!" He asks and Riley lets out a laugh.

"Maybe at our next marathon. I think we will be watching old 90's cartoons... I'll tell Zoe, I'm sure she'd love to see you again and you can hang out with Tyler." She tells him and both parents look at their kids surprised.

"Auggie, when did you meet Zoe?" Topanga asks and Auggie shrugged.

"Oh a bunch of times! Zoe has a little brother Tyler at my school, he's a year older and her and Riley will come and walk us home when they can." He tells them and smiles at his sister. He likes Riley's new friends and likes that they include him in his sister's life. There were times that he was really jealous of Maya, but Zoe never makes him feel let out.

It's nice to see his sister happy again.

XOXOX

Riley's Friendsgiving comes and goes and before she knows it, it was Thanksgiving morning. As much as she was dreading Maya, Shawn, and Katy coming over she's happy her Uncle Josh and Uncle Eric promised to be there too. They both have been so amazing to her and she values them as her family. She needs to figure out what she's going to get them for Christmas, but she doesn't want to get ahead of herself.

She dresses up in a pretty deep purple velvet dress and curls her hair to give her something to do. She grabs her journal and writes down a quick passage before she finally goes into the living room to see her dad checking on the turkey while Topanga makes plenty of mashed potatoes.

"Morning. Happy Thanksgiving." She says and both of them turn around and gasp.

"Oh sweetie look how beautiful you look! Happy Thanksgiving!" Her mom says before pulling her in a soft hug that Riley returns lightly.

"Yeah honey you look great. Happy Thanksgiving." Her dad says as the two women break apart and Riley just gives him a small smile.

"Thank you. So when is everyone coming over?" She asks and her parents look at each other.

"A little later. We want to spend some time just the four of us before our house gets overfilled. I was thinking of putting on Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving while we finish up prepping the food." Corey says and Riley lets out a smile.

"That sounds great." She says and she finds out she really means it.

They go and get Auggie and everyone helps get all the food together. They all joke around and fling some food at each other and for once it seems like things are going to be okay.

"Oh Riley, I heard from Mrs. McLean you are getting a perfect score in English. She really admires you and your work. We just wanted you to know we are very proud of you." Corey says to his baby girl and he can see the tears swell into her eyes.

"Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." Riley whispers and Auggie gives her a giant hug.

Just as they finished the movie, they heard the doorbell and got ready for all their guests. When they all come upstairs she hears her uncles scream her name before pulling her into a hug. It was great to see them and her grandparents.

Shawn and the Harts came in not too long after, which caused some tension because Shawn was clearly on Maya's side and thought Riley was being a brat. He kept making comments about her new life and her new friends but all his jabs went ignored on her part until Uncle Josh told him to back off before he makes him. Riley told him that wasn't necessary. If Uncle Shawn didn't want to get to know her, it was his loss; Uncle Eric and Uncle Josh have been more like godparents to her than he ever was.

Maya and Katy were silent most of the night, clearly feeling out of place for the first time in the Mathew's company. Maya was especially upset that Josh wouldn't even look at her. They were getting a friendship going last time they saw each other but now he looks at her like a stranger. It really hurt because not only did she loose Riley, she lost Josh too.

TBC!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Notes: Wow...just Wow I am so blessed that so many people have left positive feedback on this story! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I've noticed there seems to be more Riley fans (more Riley bias I should say because I DO like the characters lol I do I swear) on than AO2 but maybe it's just my story in general.

Anyway, this story has now morphed into something I can't just write into three chapters anymore! I was planning on making this a short story but I don't think it's possible.  
I had this whole plan about how I wanted this story to end when I wrote it half asleep but I don't think that ending will put this story to justice now. My husband was trying to tell me to just write it like I had but he doesn't get that sometimes stories develop on their own and even if you originally wanted it to end one way...the stories have different plans. At least to me they do.

Please let me know what you think! Your reviews make me so happy! Tomorrow is my day off work and I plan on writing awhile so hopefully I'll get them till Christmas than you guys can decide if I should end it there or write all freshman year.

XOXOXOX

On December 3rd, all of them were going to go on their Ski trip they planned together the year before. It would be the whole Mathew's family, Maya, Katy, Shawn, Farkle, Smackle, and Lucas going to a Ski lounge for four days while the school had a long weekend. Zay was invited but he couldn't go; he had plans to visit his girlfriend in Texas.

Everyone was so excited, getting everything ready, buying the right cloths for snow and packing for a long trip of fun. It was also so close to Christmas, so everyone was in good spirits.

Riley was happy to be going, she really was but she was going to miss her friends. Zoe, Lucy, and her have become really close and she was kinda bummed she couldn't invite them, but her dad already told her there wasn't enough room. They already pushed it when they invited Smackle and Lucas and even though they weren't as close anymore, Corey and Topanga didn't think it would be right to dis-invite them and Riley had to admit, she agreed. It wouldn't be the right thing to do.

The week of school before their trip Smackle goes up to their lunch table with a somber expression. Riley, who still wore her headphones during lunch subtly lowered the volume to hear what she was going to say.

"I can't go on the trip. My grandpa is sick and we have to visit him to take care of him...sorry." She said and Farkle got up to give her a semi- awkward hug.

"He will be okay." Farkle whispered into her ear and quickly broke the hug apart before she got uncomfortable.

"Thank you, I hope it becomes the truth." She said simply as she sat down.

Riley looked over to Smackle sympathetically.

"I'm really sorry about your grandpa." Riley tells her and everyone looks at her surprised that she was listening at all.

Smackle looks confused why she of all people would be sorry but looks at Farkle who was giving Riley a supportive smile. No matter what, it seemed that Riley and Farkle still had each others' backs.

"Thank you for your kind words." Smackle replied and Riley nodded before they all went back to their lunch.

Smackle really wasn't involved in what was going on between Riley and everyone else. So didn't go to middle school with them all and she certainly didn't have a personal relationship with Riley's father. She actually thought it was unhealthy for all her friends to rely so much on Mr. Mathew's like he had the power to fix everything. They had to know that realistically that was untrue. She can't blame Riley for feeling taken advantage of; especially when her dear Farkle has told her so much about why Riley got tired of how she was being treated.

Meanwhile Riley was thinking of how she would feel if it was her family that was sick. While her family and her have been slowly trying to mend their relationship, she doesn't know what she would do if one of them was sick and could possibly die. Maya, Farkle, Zay, and Lucas were people she always thought of as family...was that still true?

She can hear Maya trying to come up with solutions and strains her ears to hear.

"Maybe we can ask Mr. Mathews if we could beg Zay to come. He can visit Julia anytime." Maya says to Lucas trying to cheer him up and Lucas just shakes his head. Lucas was getting a little annoyed that she would try and make Zay go with them when he already had plans.

"Excuse you, I already have plans and I don't plan on changing them. I see ya'll everyday, you can live without me for a weekend." Zay protests.

"No, Zay really wants to go see her. Maybe Riley will be able to bring one of her friends." She hears Lucas say and she looks over to him and sees him watching her with a pained expression. She quickly looks away unable too see such pain in his eyes.

"Doubtful...I don't even think Mr. Mathews has met them before." Maya dismisses not seeing the exchange.

That day after school when all her family is home, she calls up Zoe to tell her there was a person who couldn't go to the ski trip and that she could go if she wanted to.

"Hell no." Zoe said simply and Riley stared at her phone in shock.

"What why?! You'd have a lot of fun!" She exclaims trying to convince her.

"Oh sweetie, I know I would but think about it; your parents have never met me and your friends probably hate me because they think I took you away from them. I'd feel so out of place; I'd resort to my shy little self and we just can't have that." She gives a small laugh.

"Well that's their problem not ours!" Riley says as she sees her point but she really wants her friend to be there. She's not sure she can handle four days with all of her old friends and none of her new ones.

She can hear Zoe sigh sweetly.

"I really think this trip will be good for you. Even if you don't get close to your old friends again, maybe this is the time and place where you can all get closure. They can hopefully see you for the person you are now, not the one you used to be. If they're smart they will love the Riley I know and love."

Riley pouts as she walks towards the living room.

"I hate that you have a point and only have my best interests at heart." She laughs and Zoe laughs with her.

"I know but that's why you love me! Anyway I have to go, but please remember what I said. Sorry for saying no! Te querio muchismo mi preciosa!" She shouts her goodbye and Riley laughs when she sees her parents looking at her amused.

"Te quiero mucho you meanie. I'll see you at book club tomorrow." She laughs as she hangs up the phone.

"You know Spanish hun?" Corey asked and Riley shrugs.

"Zoe, Lucy, and Octavio are all Dominican so they teach me some Spanish, but when they're fighting or really passionate about something forget about it, you can't understand a word they speak so fast." She laughs and Topanga gives a big smile.

"I think that's great! I've always wanted to learn Spanish. What were you talking about, if you don't mind me asking?"

Riley looks at her parents and wonders if she knows about Smackle not being able to go. She's sure someone told her dad.

"Oh, well today Smackle told us she can't go on the ski trip, so I asked Zoe if she might want to go...and she said no." Riley replies sadly still upset her friend won't be there.

Topanga looks at her confused.

"Why did she say no? We'd be happy to have her. I'd really like to meet her one day." She says softly and Riley smiles.

"Thanks; but she said she would be out of place and thinks this trip will be good for me to reconnect with everyone or get closure. Whichever is best." She shrugs again.

Corey and Topanga look at each other.

"Your friend seems very wise for her age. I can't wait till we can have her over so she doesn't have to worry about being out of place with us." Corey says.

"Yeah...hey do you think we can ask Uncle Josh to come on the trip with us? Uncle Eric has a lot of meetings that week." Riley asks them excitedly. If Zoe can't go, she'd love to have one of her Uncles there.

Corey nods and smiles.

"Yeah...I think we can make that happen."

(December)

Three days before their trip, Riley is walking down the halls to go to the library when she hears a loud commotion up ahead. She picks up her pace to see what was going on, and is shocked to see Lucas and a Junior boy arguing, about to get into a fist fight.

"You don't want to screw with me kid! Just walk away!" The guy shouts to Lucas who shakes his head, clearly not backing down.

"Oh I don't think so." Lucas says venomously.

Riley can see this was quickly about to escalate to a fight when she drops her bag and without thinking, runs in between Lucas and the other guy, just as Lucas was about to throw a punch.

"Stop it! Stop it right now!" She shouts at them staring Lucas down. He just looks at her surprised but before he can say anything she turns to the other guy.

"Please, just go; he won't be bothering you anymore." Riley says softly and the boy just shakes his head..

"Next time, keep a leash on your boy; his temper is going to get him in trouble one day!" He tells her as he storms away.

The crowd starts to disperse when Riley looks at Lucas again who hasn't moved.

"What is wrong with you!? You didn't get enough of this in Texas, you want to bring back that bad boy persona?" She yells at him and he just stands there, still looking at her.

It's like he can't comprehend that she was here, talking to him again after so long.

"This is not the person you have to be anymore! You're better than that Lucas, you always have been! So get your head out of your ass and start remembering that!" She yells at him pointing her finger into his chest hard before she goes to pick up her fallen back pack and get going.

"You're better than that." Kept repeating in his head as he watches her walk away. She still believes in him. How is that even possible?

XOXOX

That night, Corey and Topanga were sitting at the kitchen when they heard a knock on the door. Corey asked who it was and they both heard.

"It's Shawn." Before he opened the door and walked inside. Corey gets up and gives his best friend a hard hug and motions for him to sit down.

"We weren't expecting you, everything alright?" Topanga asks him and Shawn gives her a nervous look.

"Oh God, you didn't break up with Katy did you?" Corey asked and Shawn turns to him surprised.

"What no! Of course not! I'm hear to talk to you about Riley." Shawn lets out and both the Mathews look at him.

"What about Riley?" Corey asks him after a moment of silence.

Shawn gives an innocent shrug, "I think you need to talk to Riley about how much she's hurting Maya with her behavior." He says and Topanga's eyes go hard.

"What was that?" She asked him, her head tilted to the side as if she must not have heard him correctly. Hey eyes were getting wide and Corey could tell her protective instincts were kicking in.

Shawn didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, I think Riley's being a little selfish and not realizing how much she's hurting Maya. I heard her in her room last night crying. This needs to be dealt with before it's too late and they loose each other."

Corey gets up and puts his hand on his wife's shoulder to calm her down before she attacked his best friend. He could practically see the steam coming from her eyes.

"Shawn, you are out of line. You need to back off my daughter." Corey tells him calmly and Shawn looks at him surprised.

"Wait what? What are you talking about?" Shawn says looking at Corey as if he didn't see what the problem was.

"Shawn, this whole parenting thing is new for you, so I can almost see where you are coming from but Riley is our daughter. She is trying to find herself and she is doing it in a mature and safe way. Just because she is drifting away from her old friends does not make her selfish. She is trying to get out some of the negativity in her life and she believes Maya was a part of that and it is her decision." Corey explains this calm and rationally, like he would say to any parent of one of his students. Shawn is being protective of Maya since he views her as a daughter which is admirable, but he is crazy if he thinks he is going to let ANYONE talk about his daughter that way.

"And Riley is your Goddaughter too, or have you forgotten about that? You are part of the reason she drifted away from Maya!" Topanga lashes out and Shawn stares at her.

"Me? What do I have to do with anything?!" He asked confused and Topanga lets out a sarcastic chuckle.

"Are you freaking kidding me?! Riley has been trying to reach out to you and bond with you since she could walk and you have never put in the effort! You never sent her birthday cards; hell, you never even gave her a hug since she was a baby! I kept quiet about it because you are such a big part of my husband's life but you are bat shit crazy if you think I'm going to stand here while you talk about my daughter that way!" She bites out and looks at Corey, daring him to say anything different.

"She's right Shawn, as much as I wished you and Riley would bond, the fact is you never have and you probably never will. As for her and Maya, that is their issues and I will only step in if it gets dangerous for either girl. We love Maya, we have been there for her most of her life; but we will always choose Riley; even when we don't agree with her because that's what parents do. That's exactly what you're trying to do now; protect your own." Corey agrees and Topanga has never seen her husband go against Shawn like that before.

Shawn lets his old friends' words sink in. He knew they were right and he has pushed away from his godchild and to be honest; he's not sure why he did it. But the damage is done between his relationship with Riley. He may never be the person she wanted him to be. But Maya...Maya reminded him so much of himself growing up and he just wanted to do everything he could to make her happy. He loves her like his own daughter and thought coming here to talk to Corey about Riley was the right thing.

Clearly it was not.

"I'll see you Friday." He says and walks out of the house, closing the door quietly.

The house is silent for a moment until Topanga hears a small sniffle in the hallway. Both turn and see Riley standing in the hallway with tears in her eyes. She must have heard the whole thing.

Topanga lets out a little sob as she gets up and wraps her daughter into a fierce hug. Riley continues to cry asking her mom, "Why does he not love me? What did I do?" The lawyer's night shirt gets covered in tears as she hugs Riley like she is never going to let her go.

After a couple minutes, Corey joins in on the hug and whispers to Riley how much HE loves her, how beautiful she is, how smart she is, and anyone that doesn't see that is an idiot not worth her time.

Riley looks up at her father with tears in her eyes.

"But he's the most important person in your life." She says and Corey's heart breaks. How could he make his own child think that way?

"Riley, you, Auggie, and your mom are the most important people in my life. No one will ever come before you. I'm so sorry I made you believe that was not true." Corey says softly and he feels Riley move one of her arms so that she was hugging both of them.

"We both are. We love you so much." Topanga says.

"I love you both. I know these past months, I haven't acted like it, but I do love you. I'm sorry for the way I acted to you and calling dad clueless." Riley confesses and hugs they both so tightly her hands go numb.

"We love you too. Always."

Always sounded pretty good to them.

XOXOXO

(Day 1)

On the way to the ski lounge the whole Mathews clan with Uncle Josh spent the hour drive talking about the differences between The 100 the book series and the TV series.

"Okay well I watched a couple episodes of season 1 with Corey and we both agree that adding Finn, Monty, and Jasper are crucial to making the show great. I think Raven is supposed to be a replacement for Glass except her character is way more developed. Smarter too." Topanga says logically and Corey nodded enthusiastically.

After Riley told her she read that book series and really loved the show, Topanga took it upon herself to read the books and summarize them for Corey so they could watch the show together. She really wants to put more effort into knowing her children more and she thought that was a smart first step. Riley was so happy that they both were trying and so she said she wanted to hear what they thought. Topanga wasn't sure if it was a test, but even if it was, she knew she would get yet another A.

"Oh my God yes! As much as I love Bellamy and Clarke; I love all the characters in the show; in season 2 you'll meet Lexa who is very tough. She's very intense too; most people love her or hate her." Riley explains.

"What do you think about her?" Topanga asks curiously and Josh's heart swelled seeing Riley's views being asked and he can tell his sister in law really wanted to know her opinion. That's what Riley desperately needed for so long and it was nice to see it finally happening.

"I liked her character; she brought a little more diversity to the show because she is bi and gave Clarke more depth to her character. She's one hard lady, but I didn't like some decisions she made in season 2, so I got a little bitter about her in season 3." Riley explains a little vague because she doesn't want to spoil anything.

Topanga nods at her daughter's explanation.

"Well maybe you can watch season 2 with us when we get back." Corey interrupts.

"Sure, I'd like that." Riley smiles.

"Yeah and maybe Zoe and Tyler can come too!" Auggie puts in and they all agree that was a good idea.

"I think we're here guys." Josh says as they pull into their temporary home for three and a half days.

Josh was right, they will pulling in and saw everyone else was already there waiting for them.

When they pull out of the car, Katy smiles at them while Shawn kind of looks away. He was still thinking about what they said to him the other day about Riley and he hasn't been able to stop. He talked to Katy the other night who pretty much said the same thing his friends did. As much as Katy loves Riley, she will always choose Maya over her, even though a part of Katy thinks it's a good idea that the girls are experiencing different things.

"What took you guys so long?" She smiled at her old friends.

"Oh we just took our time; we got talking about a bunch of different things." Topanga answers her and gives her a little hug.

"Hey everyone! Ready to go skiing?!" Corey yells and everyone cheers as they grab their bags and head to the lobby.

An hour later, Riley, Josh, and Auggie run downstairs to wait for everyone so they can head out to start skiing.

"Hey, you going to be okay these next couple days?" Josh asks her softly putting his hand on her should. Riley smiles at him and gives him a light hug.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to be good. Thank you for coming with us last minute; I'm really glad your here." She says honestly and Josh is happy that him and Riley have grown closer this year. She is such an amazing person and seeing her come out of her shell as been a sight to see.

"Anytime kiddo. You know I always got your back. I love you." He says as he hugs her back and her smiles gets so bright.

"Love you too! As hard as it was for me to try and find myself, broadening my horizons, I think what I like the most is the fact I've ended up getting closer to my actual family; my blood. For so long I think I was too focused on my friends, I didn't pay attention to the other people around me. Like you and Uncle Eric. Now I can't remember what it was like to not be close to the two of you." She confesses and he nods.

"I'm really glad you see that now though. A lot of friends come and go from your life but family is the only forever you can count on. Most of the time anyway; there are some exceptions but the Mathews are not one of them. You will always have us." He says and she nods in agreement.

"I'm starting to see that."

Auggie, who has been silently listening to the exchange smiles at his family. Uncle Josh is so cool and he loves that his sister is happy again but most of all he's glad she is spending more time with him and the rest of the family than just her friends.

"Uncle Josh, will you go on the little hills with me first?" Auggie asked and Josh looks at Riley to make sure she will be okay and nods.

"Of course buddy! Me and you are going to kill those hills!" Josh says excitedly to pump his nephew up.

"Hey Riley, wanna go with us?" Riley turns to see Farkle, Maya, and Lucas looking at her. Farkle's smile is bright and carefree as it's always been, but she could tell he wanted her to go with them.

Riley thinks of what Zoe told her and everything she'd learned this year so far. This was it.

"Sure." She smiles a little and she sees Lucas relax slightly and Maya was twisting her friendship ring absently. Riley remembers the day she took off her own friendship ring and put it on the bay window sill. It hurt that she was letting go of a big part of her past; but mostly is was freeing. She felt that she could be anything she wanted to be without worrying about anyone else.

They make their way to the slopes in record time and they agree that Maya and Lucas are going to go first with Riley and Farkle after them. Then they would trade off.

The two get on the bench and Riley squeals a little once they start moving. The scenery was so beautiful. People were having fun, she could hear their laughter even this up high. It was like a live painting; little blotches of color splattering a very white canvas.

Riley looks over at Farkle who took a photo of her on his phone.

"Sorry, you looked really nice there." He said embarrassed and she shakes her head at him.

"It's okay, here let's take a selfie together." She suggests and gets closer to him so he can snap a photo.

When they break apart Farkle is smiling to himself.

"I never had the chance to thank you; for everything you wrote in the books. It was really sweet of you." Riley said and Farkle nods.

"Can I just ask you something?" He asks her and she can tell it's something that has been bothering him for awhile.

"Sure." She says.

"Why me? I mean, I get why you pulled away from Zay, Maya and Lucas but why did you shut me out too? Was I really part of the reason you were getting depressed? Because I know you were, and might still be depressed for all I know."

Riley is silent for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. Of course Farkle knew, he's the only one that would put the pieces together.

"No. You were not the reason I was slipping into my sadness. I guess it was just easier for me to shut out everyone equally than put you in the position of picking sides and you know Maya would want you to choose a side. Maybe it was cowardly of me to shut you out with everyone else but I just needed a clean slate at the time. I'm sorry that I hurt you." She says sincerely and Farkle nods.

"I guess I can understand your reasoning. It just hurt to know you weren't talking to me too because you're my best friend Riley. You saw me when I thought I was a nothing and proved to me that that wasn't true. You're the one who promised me you would never let me not understand love and I'm still holding you to that."

Riley smiles and wipes a stray tear from her eye.

"You know that journal I carry with me?" She asks and he nods.

"I write quotes in them. One of the first quotes is something I said to Maya a long time ago. 'Let's never settle for anyone less than Farkle' and I rewrite it when I need to remind myself of that. Smackle is a very lucky girl." She says honestly and it was Farkle's turn to wipe a tear away. He puts a gloved hand over hers and squeezes her hand tight.

"Thank you." He says just as they were about to jump.

Riley jumped without hesitation to the slope.

TBC!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Notes: Wow again thank you all for the love I'm so happy people love this story! A special note to AngelGirl: POST YOUR STORY AND MESSAGE ME WHEN YOU DO! I promise I will read it. I'm not on the GMW page often but if you let me know you posted I will read it; I was so worried people would bash this story and was so surprised when no one did. Please post goes for anyone who has a story they are afraid to post in case people judge it. If someone were to message me a link to their story I would read it and give my feedback.

I know some people want this to be a Riarkle or Rucas story but right now I'm just focused on their friendships. Even if Lucas does choose Riley, maybe Riley has moved on...

HOPE YOU ALL LIKE! PLEASE LET ME KNOW! 3

XOXOX

(Day 2)

Thankfully for Riley, everyone was too exhausted by the time they finished the giant slope that they just headed back to the lodge to relax. That night she went into the room she shared with Maya and collapsed on the bed falling right to sleep.

When she woke up the next morning, Maya was still out cold, and Riley quickly got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. When she got there she saw her Uncle Josh, Shawn, and Katy already seated. She gets her food and silently sits down next to Josh.

"Good morning Uncle Josh. How were the little hills?" She asked him teasingly and he chuckled.

"Oh I definitely kicked their butt." He jokes but she could see he was turning red a little bit so she just laughed harder.

"Are you sure you didn't get kicked in the butt?" She says and he shakes his head at her.

"You wound me, dear niece." He says as he wraps his arm around her shoulders.

"Everything go okay yesterday?" He asked her after a moment, not caring if Katy or Shawn could hear them.

Riley nodded.

"Yeah, it was fun. The slope was really big so we only did that. I talked to Farkle for a little; I think we are going to be okay." She says honestly. She felt like a giant weight was lifted off her shoulder when it comes to Farkle. He never really did anything to her; he didn't hurt her and yet she pushed him away so he wouldn't have to choose between her and Maya. She felt guilty about hurting him, but to hear that he still was there for her and to tell him her truth was very uplifting.

"What about Lucas and Maya?" He asked.

"We are going to have to talk eventually, but I don't really know. A lot has happened between the three of us. Once romantic feelings developed, everything just went out of control. I knew in my heart Lucas would choose Maya; because why wouldn't he?! I wish them the best in the world and I know they are good people...but I don't know if we are good for each other anymore." She admitted and it hurt to think that her and Maya might really be over for good.

" I know it's hard...but just remember what I told you about the people you can rely on forever. Sometimes it's not friends, sometimes it is. But never let anyone make you feel like you aren't good enough. I know your worth, your parents and Auggie do, Eric does, Zoe does, it's time you did too. Anyone who doesn't see you for who you are is not worth you're time and energy." he says seriously and wants his niece to really take in his words. No one should make you feel like they are better than you or deserve more than you do. That's not friendship.

"Thanks Uncle Josh." She said as she gets to finishing her food.

Katy looks over to her fiance and sees how much Josh's words hit him. In the younger boy's whole speech, Shawn was not brought up once but they both know that Josh was talking about him not seeing Riley's worth. Katy for one, never knew why the man she loved didn't seem to reach out to his best friend's daughter; when it appeared that all Riley wanted was for him to acknowledge her. It confused her, but she assumes he has his reasons.

Slowly everyone arrived in the breakfast area; Corey and Topanga sat in between Riley and Shawn, and Shawn took that as his cue to try and talk to his friends.

"So Core, I was thinking we could go on the slopes you missed out on all those years ago." He said and Corey's face turned red thinking of the last time he was here; how him and Topanga were having problems and he met Lauren.

Topanga gave her husband a look; like even though that was their worst; they were past it. What happened here all those years ago only made their love stronger.

"I think that's a great idea! Then you and I can have some time alone while the kids have fun." She suggests and winks at him.

"Oh mama!" He jokes goofy and everyone laughs at him.

"I'm so ready to get back out there! Are you guys ready?" Riley asked Farkle, Maya, and Lucas politely and they all look at each other before nodding and standing up.

The four old friends made their way to the slopes and got on the ski lifts, they all decide they all want to ski more so they will go on the smaller slopes.

"I'll go with Maya." Riley volunteers and Maya's face looked like she was about to cry. The blonde nods as they finally sit together and the lift takes off. This was it...this was a moment that would either help repair them or break them further apart.

"So how have you been?" Riley asked her like she would talk to a distant relative. It's not that she is trying to be rude or act like she was talking just to talk but she wants to take Zoe's words to heart and either make peace with Maya or maybe get some middle ground on their friendship. Going back to the way things were is not an option anymore and if Riley were being honest with herself, she doesn't think Maya will take her back if she's not the same person.

Maya just looks at her for a minute; studying how different her best friend looks since the beginning of high school. She still smiles, she still looks like she sees the best in people; but she also is now guarded. There's this look in her eyes like she doesn't completely trust the world like she used to. It breaks her heart to see her like that...more like the girl Maya used to be before Mr. Mathews taught her how blessed she really was.

"I'm okay...trying to survive high school with so many changes. Trying to survive packing up our home and moving to a bigger place. Trying to survive without having my best friend to talk to about any of it." Maya says softly a tear slowly sliding down her face.

"Maya, a lot has happened between us; together and seperately. I'm really happy your mom and you are getting a chance at a better life. You deserve to be happy, just like I think I deserve to be happy. I'm sorry if this hurts you, but we will never be like we were before. Even if you don't have me, you have Farkle, Zay, Smackle, and Lucas all on your side. You have Shawn who would do anything for you; even stand up for you against his own best friend; calling me selfish because he just wants you to be happy. As much as it hurt me to see him disregard me as his family; he chose you, and you need to know that." Riley said and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, which she shrugged off.

"I hate that you left me. You turned out to be like everyone else in my life! You left me out in the cold to fend for myself!" Maya yelled at her which made Riley get angry too.

"Oh bullshit Maya! The only person that left you is your dad and I'm sorry but you're better off without him anyway! No one has ever left you in the cold! Everyone always chose you and your feelings over mine and you are nuts if you thought I was going to take that forever!"

"Oh only my dad? What about you? What about your family? What about Josh? Hell, even Auggie won't look at me! It's like because you won't talk to me none of them will. Not to mention Lucas who's been pushing me away so much he's turning into his old self! I finally had a chance with him and because you still had to have feelings for him; he won't look at me!" Maya screamed so loud people from in front of the lift stared at them concerned.

"Maya, my family loves you! They love you so much they were so preoccupied with making sure YOU were okay, YOU were told how special you were, and YOUR feelings were being acknowledged that they bypassed mine! It wasn't until I called them out on it that they realized they were losing me, their own daughter! You have no idea the pain I was feeling for far too long because you didn't notice! Yes they love you, but I'm sorry to tell you this they love me MORE! Just like Shawn and Katy love you more and that's okay, they should love you more! Auggie and Josh are MY family and choose to stand by me because they want me to be happy; even if that's without YOU! You said you loved Josh than as soon as you said you liked Lucas you threw those feelings aside; I'm so happy my uncle didn't give you a chance because he would have gotten his heart broken like I got mine broken by you and Lucas!" By that time Riley was on a roll and decided to continue.

"And as far as Lucas is concerned he is his own person! If he likes you Maya, then that's great I'm so freaking happy for you, I am! But don't blame me if he doesn't, I gave him plenty of chances with me and when I found out you liked him I tried to step aside for you, but I am allowed to feel the way I feel!

That's something I learned when I stepped away from you; I didn't need to run to my father like all of you guys do. If he won't look at you that's your fault NOT MINE!" Riley replied to her not as loud but just as passionate.

By the time they reached the slopes they quickly got off just to get away from each other. Lucas and Farkle, who heard the whole thing just rode the slopes silently. As much as Farkle was happy Riley got all that off her chest, he can see how much Maya was destroyed for it and knew she was going to need him. He loved Riley and Maya and while he agrees with Riley more right now, Maya needs him to be there for him more.

Meanwhile Riley was fuming! She wanted to scream at Maya's selfishness, tell her to grow up and take responsibility for her actions; her crimes against Riley in their friendship. Riley has never claimed to be perfect, in fact she knows she failed their friendship by leaving them.

However, Maya was entitled to her feelings, and maybe this whole thing has hurt her like Riley was hurt; but if there is one thing she will always know about Maya is she is a warrior. She will survive.

"That freaking lift is worse than the bay window." Riley muttered to herself as she skied the slopes on her own.

Three hours later, Maya quickly grabbed Farkle to ride with on the lift, leaving Lucas and Riley to sit together. Riley looks at Lucas who looked just as tired as she did. She really REALLY hoped he didn't want to have a heart to heart; she just couldn't deal with that right now.

"Can I just ask something?" Lucas turned to her pleadingly and Riley nodded defeatedly.

"Can we talk tomorrow morning, before anything? I don't have the energy to talk now and I really don't want to have this bay window like fight on this lift; I'm too tired." Lucas pleads with her making her lift her mouth a little in a smile.

She nods, mostly because she couldn't agree more; between the talk with Farkle and the fight with Maya she didn't have the energy to hash it out with Lucas now.

"What time?" She asked him.

"How about sunrise? We can talk on the red couch in the lobby." Lucas suggested and she smiled, not knowing that is the very couch where so many problems developed with her mom and dad.

"Okay, sounds good."

XOXOX

Maya didn't come down for dinner, instead she begged her mom to let her room with her. Katy, who saw this coming at one point of their trip said it would be okay and that Shawn would room with Lucas and Farkle on the floor with Josh. It wasn't ideal for Shawn, especially because Joshed hated him but he knew Maya just needed her mother right now and time away from Riley. That kid just isn't making it easy on anyone.

Auggie who heard about it, quickly came up with a plan to make this more comfortable for everyone's sake, even Maya's. He was never her biggest fan but he wants this trip to be fun for everyone.

"Why don't we have a mini camp out with everyone mommy! Everyone put pillows on the floor and tell ghost stories and things like that? We can do it in every room since we are all next to each other.

Farkle and Lucas quickly agreed to his idea, liking everyone getting together instead of his invisible barrier between Maya and Riley. It sucked that they might not be friends again after this, but they were still here to have a good time. They needed time without drama. Plus they weren't too thrilled having Josh and Shawn on their floor while Riley had a room to herself.

Katy, Corey, and Topanga quickly agreed but said they would leave Katy's room off limits in case Maya didn't want to be disturbed.

That night in the four rooms were six empty beds with blankets and pillows all around the room. Everyone was close together, dreaming of all the silly stories everyone told on the cold floor. The sounds of everyone's laughter echoing in their heads. It was an amazing night for them all.

Farkle, Lucas, Maya, Riley, Auggie, and Josh were the closest together. Maya who still wasn't talking to Riley would only speak to Farkle and was leaning very heavily on him. She wouldn't even look at Lucas, who didn't notice as much, yet Riley did. She was confused, she thought they were togther.

Riley tried not to take it personal; she said her peace with Maya and knew that she made the right decision in pushing Farkle away too because she knew Maya needed Farkle; Farkle was the one that the two girls always thought they could reply on. Maya needed him on her side; Riley was doing fine on her own now. She didn't need her old friends to make her feel better about herself; her old friends were why she felt bad about herself.

A little before dawn, she heard Lucas get up and head towards the lobby. Riley waits a couple minutes before following him out. She told Uncle Josh last night was she was doing so he wouldn't worry about her and texted her Uncle Eric last night to keep him in the loop. She never wants him to feel left out now that they have gotten so close. He just texted her back one thing:

"No matter what happens little Neech, don't let your wings get bent for anyone. I support whatever decision you make. Love you."

It made her happy that she had such different yet amazing uncles at her side cheering her on.

When she got downstairs, Lucas was seated in the middle of the couch holding his hands clasped together for dear life. She walks down slowly, but she knows he heard her. She sits down beside him and can see he is having trouble looking her in the eyes. They haven't been this awkward with each other since they had their second date...it was sad yet familiar at the same time.

"So...did you finally get your head out of your ass?" She asked and he snorts and shakes his head. It was a good ice breaker because he immediately looks her in the eyes but she can see all the pain in them. Pain that he has been repressing for too long.

"Yeah...I think I did. I never really thanked you for stopping that fight last week." He mumbles and she shrugs nonchalantly.

"Not a big deal. I just don't understand why you would want to turn back into that person again. You have to know it will only turn bad for you. Texas Lucas was not someone to admire but someone to fear."

It was Lucas' turn to shrug.

"What's the point you know? Why should I try and be Mr. Perfect when no one here believes in me anymore." He sounded so rejected and it pained her.

"Lucas you know that's not true, so many people here believe in you and know what a great person you are." She protests.

"Do you?" He asked and she can see the loaded question in his eyes. She remembers back to the first month of eighth grade when she asked him if he was worth it, worth her time, her affection, her belief, and he said yes. Then he broke her heart and she thinks she broke his.

"I have always believed in you Lucas. Since the moment I met you." She confesses.

"I know I messed up. I messed up so much in my life; but my biggest regret is making you feel like you weren't good enough. I never should have let you try and tell me we only liked each other as siblings; I should have known you were only trying to make Maya and my life easier at the expense of your own. I never should have immediately tried to make it work with her when I wasn't even sure how I liked her, I just knew I liked you both two completely different ways; I should have backed up and figured out my feelings before I hurt either one of you. In the end I hurt you the worst and that kills me. I never should have said you were too much for me, Riley. I see your devastated face every time I close my eyes and it destroys me. These past few months have been hell for me. I have no one to talk to anymore; not really. Not someone I can tell my deepest secrets too and not be judged or have smoothies dropped on my head for being too sappy. I just hate this." He confessed to her and Riley has to stop herself from crying.

She has to stop herself from reaching out to him, pulling him in her arms, and telling him everything is going to be okay. She can't do that anymore. She wants to; a big part of her wants it to go back to the way things were where her and Lucas were in that dusty library and he was telling her he wanted to be a veterinarian. It can't go back to that because he did make those mistakes, he did in fact hurt her and she hurt him. They weren't the same people anymore. They also had Maya to think about. She still liked him, and her heart is getting broken too but everything that has happened.

"I know you didn't mean what you said to me about me being too much for you. A lot has happened between us since our first date and that moment. Maybe I was too much for you; maybe I still am. These last few months have helped me realize that while I am a ray of sunshine; that ray of light hit everyone but myself. I hated myself. I hated how insecure I was about everything and how people felt about me. At times I still hate myself. Maybe if I didn't tell you you were like my brother, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. Maybe it would have been Maya that broke apart from us, but we all made mistakes back then. I forgave you for everything that happened. I forgave everyone; and I'm learning to forgive myself. But if there's one thing I do know it's you. I know who you are deep down; I've always known how good of a person you are. I kind of hate you stopped seeing that. The whole world has too many Texas Lucases, they need more New York Lucases. The Lucas I felt very strongly for, for a long time." She says looking away from him and staring at her hands.

It was hard for her to say that to him; that she cared so deeply for him and knew that he was an amazing person. For a long time all that happened between them echoed in her head as well. All the good and especially the bad; but she grew up. She started seeing everything without the rose tinted glasses on. That maybe she won't get the love story her parents has. Maybe her story is going to be more difficult.

"Felt? How do you feel about me now?" He had to ask, making her look up at him.

"Did you ever figure your feelings out Lucas? Instead of trying to find out how I feel, why don't you listen to your own heart. Is it me you want or is it Maya? Hell it could be Smackle, but I know Farkle would fight you for her. Either you tell me that right here, right now, no bullshit or I'm keeping my feelings to myself until you do."

Lucas was quiet for a long time. In truth he still didn't know how he felt and that made him feel like an idiot; not to know how you really feel about two great girls who are/were crazy about you? 

"You're right...until I figure myself out, I don't need to know how you feel, but I will say this...whoever it is I choose; I'm going to work my butt off to prove I'm worth it to them." He says seriously and she gives a little smile.

They sit and continue to talk until the sun comes out further. Lucas asks her about her new friends and she tells him all about Zoe. How she introduced her to the world of stories and imagination. Lucas told her that he was impressed that she became a book worm and that she seemed more comfortable in her own skin.

"I am. When Zoe and I met, she told me reading was addicting and she was right. Every emotion I've felt, there's a character in a book who's felt the same way and has overcome it. For my book club, our next book is 'The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.' it was very very entertaining and real. I'm surprised Octavio and Mike would read it though."

Lucas looks a little jealous when she starts talking about her guy friends, but he knows he needs to keep himself in check. Riley is telling him about herself; the new and improved her. She was putting herself out there and he knew he had to listen and respect her.

"Are they good to you?" He asked hesitantly.

Riley smiles sweetly.

"Yeah...yeah they are really good to me. I'm lucky to have them; all of them." She admits.

"Do you miss us?"

"That's such a complicated question. Of course I miss you all. I miss the times that we had, the fun. Yet there are a lot of things I don't miss. I don't miss being sad, I don't miss feeling left out or treated like I'm not smart enough. I don't miss being treated differently because you all thought my life was easy." She answers him honestly but she can tell her answer bothered her.

By the time everyone was starting to get downstairs for breakfast, Lucas looked at Riley and thought that maybe they will be okay in the end. It wouldn't be easy, but nothing worth having is easy.

"I just want you to be happy Riley." He simply says as he gets up and holds out his hand for her to take. She takes it and he wraps her into his arms in a tight embrace.

"I want you happy too Lucas. Please don't turn into Texas Lucas again." She whispers into his ear before they break apart.

"I won't as long as I have people who always believe in me." He says and looks into her eyes almost as if he is staring into her soul.

She nods softly.

When they break apart they look up the stairs and see Maya looking down at them with tears in her eyes.

TBC!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay my dears I had such writer's block over this chapter! But seriously guys...I really appreciate everyone's comments and input on this story. I can't believe how well people have responded to it. Yeah I'm sure to many writers 57 reviews on 4 chapters is nothing, but to me it means the world. I'm just really grateful to you all.

Hope you enjoy this chapter, I hope to hear from you!

XOXOX

As soon as the two see Maya, they move further apart but they knew it was too late. Maya immediately turned around and went right back into her mom's room; the echo of the door slamming could be heard all the way downstairs. Riley looks at Lucas a little heartbroken. They both look upset that Maya was once again hurt, but Riley couldn't help but feel a little bitter that Maya might ruin the progress Lucas and her just made. Riley shuffles her feet, trying to let go of her bitterness and resentment of Maya but it's easier said than done. She has gotten so much stronger these months and she refused to let this backtrack her.

"I should go upstairs and try to explain." She says defeated. She was just so tired. Tired of fighting with Maya for changing herself; trying to be better. Why couldn't they just make peace? Would they ever be able to co-exist as these new people? Or was their friendship really over? A big part of her wanted to say yes, they were over, but a tiny part of her, the truest part of her wanted to keep pushing her old best friend and help her grow.

Lucas shakes his head at her.

"No. I'm going to talk to her. I said what I had to, to you. Now it's her turn." He says this strongly and determined. Riley showed him that sometimes, change can be good and Lucas now knows he needs to make some serious changes if he wants to get his friends back. The first time he changed was when he arrived to New York from Texas and Riley was a big part of that change, and of course she is the one trying to stop him from becoming Texas Lucas again.

Riley nods and sees how important this is for him and watches as he storms upstairs to talk to her.

Neither Lucas nor Maya come down for breakfast; a fact that everyone notices and no one mentions. Shawn gives Riley a somewhat triumphent smirk but a glare from Topanga stops him from saying anything she would have overheard. Farkle and Riley sit next to each other and she can't help but wonder what his problem is with her.

"Do you remember in fourth grade when I was convinced you that if you ate enough lollipops, the sugar would make your tongue fall off? Farkle asked smirking and Riley let out a loud laugh.

"Yes! I was crying so hard. Maya came over to me and told you were being a liar and I thought she was just trying to make me feel better! I didn't eat lollipops for 3 months! You made it sound so scientific on how it would fall off of course I believed you!" Riley said still laughing and Farkle joined in with her.

As they reminisced about the good old days, Riley couldn't help but be happy they were talking again, and she vowed to herself that she would put more of an effort to talk to him when school started.

Since they had to check out that afternoon, they decided to just relax in the lodge. Farkle called Smackle to see how her grandpa was, Shawn and Katy stayed in the lobby and were wedding planning, Auggie, Josh, and Riley were having a snowball fight in the front of the building, while Topanga and Corey had some alone time without the kids.

Josh and his niece and nephew were having so much fun. Laughing, at his family as Riley and Auggie struggled to get as much snow in their hands and dump it on the others head. He never saw himself getting this close to these two kids. Most of his life he just saw them only on a couple holidays; now he texts Riley at least once a day and skypes with Auggie once a week. It was a good kind of change.

"Ah, I'm going to get you!" Riley screamed laughing as she tried not to fall. Auggie was having the same problem so he changed his tactic and hid behind Josh for safety. Josh who was lost in his head for a moment, smirks at Riley and gives her a wink.

He gets a little snow in his hand and pretends like he was going to throw it at Riley, but at the last second he spins around and hits Auggie softly in the stomach.

"Awh man you tricked me!" Auggie complains but he was still laughing. He knows Uncle Josh was just playing with him.

"It stinks we have to go back already." Josh comments and both kids get somber.

"I know, this trip has gone by so quick. I feel like so much has happened yet at the same time, nothing has." Riley says and Auggie gets out from behind Josh and gets in the middle of his sister and his uncle.

"Don't worry Riley, we all love you and just want you to stay happy like this." Auggie says simply making the other two smile. Auggie may only be seven, but he is growing up so fast already.

"Thank you Auggie. I'm so happy me and you have gotten closer. I'm proud to be your big sister." She smiles and goes to hug him.

They hug sweetly until Auggie dumps some snow on her shoulder making Josh laugh hysterically.

XOXOX

When they check out, they all give a quick goodbye to each other, and load their things to their cars. Lucas and Maya finally came down from Katy and Shawn's room looking a little better than they have been. Maya still wouldn't say goodbye to Riley or Josh but she did give Mr and Mrs Mathews a hug. Lucas however, thanked the Mathews' for inviting him and gave Riley a big hug goodbye and told her he would see at school the next day.

When they drive off, Riley looks at Josh who seemed deep in thought.

"Can I ask you something Uncle Josh?" Riley whispered to him so her parents wouldn't hear them.

He looks at his niece and nods slowly.

"Did you like Maya?" She finally asked him and she can see that's what he was thinking of when she interrupted.

Her uncle is silent for a couple minutes...collecting his thoughts or trying to find a way to tell her what was going on in his head.

"I'm not really sure how I felt about her but when she proclaimed her feelings to me in front of complete strangers, I felt like I could have liked her as time went on and I got to know her better. She is a great girl from what I saw and knew about her and I liked those parts of her. I think on some level, everyone wants someone to care about them so much they fight for you. I guess her feelings weren't as real as she said if she jumped on Lucas as soon as she got the chance." He shrugged but she could tell he was bothered about what happened between him and her (ex?) friend.

Her uncle was right; everyone wants a love like her parent's have. Everyone on some level wants to find their perfect match; no fuss. What most people don't know is how much Corey and Topanga fought for each other. How much they went through to get where they are now. It wasn't as easy as people thought and it only got harder as their lives went on. They have their careers, kids, friends, families they have to balance and keep their love as strong as it is.

"I'm sorry if I was the reason you weren't willing to get to know her more. I never want you or anyone else to put their happiness on the line for me." She says as she puts her hand on top of his.

Josh shakes his head sharply.

"If anything Riley, you were the reason I considered getting to know her. I saw how close you two were; how you were willing to sneak out to a college party, scared out of your mind for her; just so she could try to make things work between us." He protests.

He doesn't want her to feel guilty about what happened between him and Maya because technically, nothing did happen. Maya made her own choice; she found out she had feelings for Lucas and chose the guy her best friend liked instead of her best friend's uncle. She stopped stalking him, sending him texts all the time; stopped all communication just as it was starting to become 2 sided. Riley had nothing to do with that.

"Riley, I don't want you doing this again. Taking the blame for others so they don't have to. Maya made her own mistakes, her own choices. She has no reason to say it's your fault she lost me, because she never had me." Josh told her seriously and she nodded.

"I know, I just want you to be happy. To find someone that makes you happy." She says honestly and he lets out a little smile.

"I'm going to tell you something I want you to keep with you forever; you don't need a partner in life to be happy. I really think you need to love yourself first before you can love someone else."

Riley thinks about herself before all this happened. How insecure she felt about herself and yet she was so sure she loved Lucas, she was willing to do anything for him; including give him up for her best friend who she thought was the best choice. Now, however, she knows better. She hated herself so she pushed Lucas away because she thought Lucas was too good for her and Maya was a better fit for him because she thought Maya was the best there could be.

We accept the love we think we deserve... for so long Riley thought of herself as a nothing and didn't deserve any happiness. She also thought Maya was the best so she deserved the best there was and for her that was Lucas.

Riley doesn't know what she thinks she deserves anymore.

After they drop Josh off at Eric's, they quickly get home, lug their belongings up to their apartment and decide to unpack and get everything together tomorrow after work and school.

As the collapse on the couch, Topanga looks at her two children and is overwhelmed with happiness at the fact her two kids get along so well. Eric and Corey's relationship has always been strained; Corey would constantly choose Shawn over him and she knows it hurt the older Mathews brother all the time. Her own sister Nebula and her barely talk; only a couple times a year or when she visits Riley once a year. As Riley's godmother, she writes her when she can but she is traveling all over the world as a wildlife photographer. To see her children finally bond in a way her own family and Corey's never have is amazing.

"Did you guys have a fun time?" She asks them tiredly. It's been such a long day, all she wants to do is sleep.

Riley looks at her parents and smiles.

"Yeah I did. How about you Aug?" Riley asked him and he gives a thumbs up tiredly. They all look at Corey who was already snoring on the couch. Poor guy had to drive the whole way.

"You guys should get ready for bed, you have school tomorrow and I have work." The mom tells her kids and they just groan before listening to her.

It was good to be home. Let's just hope the progress Riley made with her friends wasn't for nothing.

XOXOX

When Riley walks into school the next day half a sleep with her dad standing next to her, she remembers all the things she promised herself she would do. She was going to put more of an effort into her friendship with Farkle and Lucas; she didn't have a reason to hide anymore.

She looks at her dad and sees him looking back at her smiling.

"You remember what I said to you at your 7th grade award ceremony?" Corey asked his daughter softly and she smiled remembering when she was so insecure on how people thought of her and she ended up being voted for the John Quincy Adam's Spirit award. He said he was proud of her. It was the first time he said that to her in a long time and the last time he said it until recently.

She nodded at her father.

"I'm always proud of you Riley. Every minute of everyday. Even when I don't say it; I'm so proud of the woman you are becoming." It was hard for Corey to call his baby girl a woman but the more he sees her, the harder it is to call her a little girl. She has grown up so much and became a much wiser person because of it.

Riley gives her dad a quick yet strong hug. It makes her so happy to see how much their relationship has grown since she got to high school. Two years ago she never would have imagined her dad being like this to her. Treating her with respect and not as a naive little girl.

"Thanks dad. I'm proud to be your daughter." She said before she wished him a good day and they walked into his class room.

There Riley sees all her childhood friends, plus Zay and Smackle and smiles at them.

"Good morning." She says cheerfully yet politely as she takes her normal seat in front of Farkle and next to Maya. Everyone smiles at her except Maya who just nods her head.

She turns around and sees Smackle with her usual blank facial expression and asks her how her grandpa is doing.

Smackle looks a little surprised but not much. Farkle must have told her what happened at the Ski lounge. "Much better. He is supposed to make a full recovery."

"I'm glad to hear that." She replies and then turns her attention to her father when he starts today's lesson.

After class, Riley goes out and looks for Zoe in the halls. She hasn't seen her friend all weekend and wanted to see how her break was. She finds her at her locker, rubbing her still sleepy eyes and drinking her coffee out of a thermos. She personally doesn't know how she can drink so much coffee, Riley only had it once and it was okay but she didn't need it like Zoe does.

"Zoe!" Riley screamed happily and attacked her friend in a giant hug! Zoe groans but returns the hug just as strong.

"Oh Riley, you got too much sleep last night didn't you?" She jokes once they pull away.

"Yeah but I also missed you. How was your break?" Riley asked.

"Same old same. Me and the guys were wondering when you wanted to have that 90's cartoon marathon." Zoe replied and Riley thinks about it and remembers what her family was talking about.

"Why don't we have it this weekend at my house? My parents really want to meet you and you can bring Tyler over so Auggie will have someone closer to his age."

To be honest she was worried about her new friends meeting her family, but she thinks deep down it was going to be okay. Her parents were really trying to be there for her and take her more seriously and Riley had to give them credit when it was due. She also had to give a bit more credit and patience to her parents. They weren't perfect, they didn't see her for a long time but now that they know how much she was hurting they are trying to fix their mistakes.

Zoe is silent for a minute but then lets out a big smile. She was so happy that Riley said her parents want to meet her and the guys. She wants to be there for her friend Riley and knows how important her family is to her. For her parents to want to get to know the new sides of Riley was a big deal.

"Yeah sounds great! I'll talk to the guys and Lucy, just let me know if Saturday is cool with your parents."

They talk for a little before go their separate ways, both promising to talk more after Book Club.

XOXOX

At lunch, Riley ditches the headphones and goes to her usual table where everyone was already seated. Lucas was sitting in between Farkle and Zay, with Maya and Smackle next to each other. They weren't really looking at her; they probably figured she would have her headphones on so she didn't get offended.

She just sat there and watched her old friends communicate. Farkle and Smackle were talking about the Science homework, while Zay, Lucas, and Maya were talking about going to the basketball game Wednesday after school.

"Everyone in?" Zay asked and everyone nodded before Lucas looks over at her and gives her a wide grin. He knew she was paying attention to them today but he didn't want to make a big deal about it. He was replaying his talk with her and his talk with Maya all night long. Riley was right; he needed to get his feelings under control before he made a move on either of them. Maya was a little less understanding; claiming he just wanted Riley but didn't have the heart to tell her but in the end Maya agreed that this was the right thing to do. Not that it was her choice; but he missed both his friends very much and didn't want to lose either of them. They talked for a long time and Lucas tried to tell her that Riley and her needed each other; but Maya felt abandoned and doesn't want to get hurt again.

"What about you Riley? Want to go to the basketball game with us?" Lucas asked her and everyone looked at her. Zay was really surprised and Maya looked a little annoyed but didn't say anything.

Riley shrugged but smiled.

"Yeah I think I'm free after school. At eight I'm going to dinner with Uncle Eric but the game will be over by then."

Lucas smiles happy with her answer.

"Great!"

Riley looks at them and thinks not everyone agrees with him, but that's okay. Baby steps.

XOXOX

When school ends, she makes her way to the library where Book Club was going to take place. She finished the book before break so she had to reread some of it to remember. She walks inside and is so happy to see all her friends there.

She gives Lucy, Octavio, Mike, and Zoe big hugs before sitting down.

"So how was everyone's break?" She asked the boys since she didn't talk to them as much as she talked to Zoe and Lucy.

Both of them shrugged.

"It was good but we missed you; it's just not the same without you beautiful." Mike winked at her which made her giggle. She would find it flattering if she didn't know she was SO not his type.

"Well I'm sorry but my presence was needed else where." She said batting her eyes lashes at him making him smile and push her playfully.

"Weirdo." He says to her fondly as they all start to sit down.

"So do you want to talk about the book now or later?" Riley asked them and they all look at each other and she gets a little confused.

"Actually we have a couple members missing, we need to wait for them. They joined the club right before lunch." Lucy says smiling widely.

"Who?" Riley has to ask.

"Us." A voice behind her says and she turns around to see Farkle, Zay, Lucas, and Smackle all holding this week's book in their hands.

"I'll have you know, I thought this book was wack and I only skimmed it." Zay complains as he plops down next to Zoe and she smiles at him.

Riley looks at Lucas and is so surprised to see him here, in her new world.

"It's nice of you all to finally show up, you're only ten minutes late!" Octavio grumbles halfheartedly. Zoe already told him the deal with these guys pero it doesn't mean he trusts them. They did hurt his girl Riley after all. Plus he sees the way the pretty boy is looking at her.

"Well we were pausing for dramatic effect." Farkle says smiling in his normal way making smile back. He was too innocent not to smile back at. A little like Riley.

"Plus we were waiting to see if Maya was going to join us." Smackle says emotionless as she sits down next to her boyfriend and gives a small smile.

Riley looks around at her new and old friends all together, making an effort and it brings tears to her eyes. Yes a part of her was seriously hurt that Maya was not here with everyone but Maya needed to find herself first. She needed to figure out on her own that things are different now. Nothing will ever be the same as they were when they were in 7th grade, and that's okay.

"Sweetie what's wrong?" Zoe asks her as she puts her hand on her shoulder.

"I'm just so grateful you all care about me. I'm so blessed that you guys are trying to know the new me and I'm so blessed that I even met you all." She cries and Zoe pulls her in a hug.

"We are all blessed. We are all here, we're alive, and we're together. The rest will work itself out." Zoe whispers into her ear and Riley nods as she looks back at Lucas and Farkle.

Yes she was pretty blessed indeed.

TBC!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Notes: Again thank you to EVERYONE who reads this story and gives reviews, they mean the world to me! Although I do have to wonder why someone would review me and tell me they want this to be a Lucaya story. Or they could have meant they just want Lucaya in general. I don't know about some but I am not a Lucaya shipper...like at all. They have good chemistry as friends but I just felt like the story line of Maya liking Lucas came out of no where. I thought they would have had Maya and Josh try a relationship first. ANYWAY, this story I'm 98% sure I'm not going to make Riley end up with anyone of it would be an OC character. If I did it would be a Rucas story. Sorry but that's just my personal preference just like I personally choose Riley's character over Maya's. To each their own I guess.

XOXOX

That Wednesday after school the old gang made their way to the gym where the basketball team was going to be playing. They knew they were going to be early but they figure they could just relax a little before the game starts and get good seats.

"So ya'll know I'm not going to every book club meeting right? I know I said I'd try but can we get some more guy books? How do Mike and Octavio take it?" Zay complains to Riley who just laughs a little. The Texan boy has been putting in a serious effort to step out of his comfort zone and Riley could see he didn't hate it as much as he was appearing to.

"Well I did talk to them about having a little more variety when it comes to genre, so when we do horror stories or a good mystery, I'll let you know." She replies and that seems to satisfy him so he just nods.

They all talk about their classes and how different they were from last year's in middle school.

"I'm doing so bad at English, Mrs. McLean hates me." Maya complains to Lucas and Zay who she knew had her for a teacher with Riley in the class.

Lucas shrugs sympathetically.

"Maybe you should ask Riley to tutor you, McLean LOVES Riley." Zay suggests, not realizing he was making the situation awkward.

Maya finally looks at Riley who was just waiting to see what she was going to say. If Maya needed help in English and asked her, she would help her. Despite what Maya may think, she doesn't hate the blonde, she just loves herself more.

Maya shakes her head.

"No I'm fine, I just need to actually do the homework instead of copying off Farkle." She muttered and Farkle sharply looks over to her.

"Yeah I don't want you cheating off me! I didn't even know you were!" Farkle said with anger in his voice. He didn't like cheaters. He worked hard on his homework and classwork and didn't want someone taking that work from him.

Maya just shrugged. She didn't want to tell him she got it from his backpack when he was giving Smackle googoo eyes. It just didn't seem worth it. She just seemed so out of place here now that Riley was kind of back in the group. She knows she should try and talk to her again but she just felt so hurt. She felt like she was slowly losing Lucas now too. He said it wasn't fair to string two friends along when he wasn't even sure about his own feelings but Maya can't help but feel like that's bull. She saw Riley and Lucas' first kiss; it was a short little peck that didn't even register the passion her and Lucas had in Texas at that campfire. It wasn't even a kiss and yet she felt electricity from her cheeks to her toes. She thought Lucas felt it too.

They made idle talk for a little after that. The tension between Maya and Riley could be cut with a knife and no one knew what to do. Lucas tried to talk to both girls together but Maya wouldn't budge and after a while Riley mouthed to him to leave her alone. When it came down to it, Maya was going to do what she thought was best.

They cheered during the game when it started. Octavio was on the team so Riley cheered extra loud for her friend, making many people look at her weird. She knew from Zoe that he was on the team but never had the pleasure to see him play. He was amazing!

"He never wants us to go to his games. I don't know why, he's so good!" Riley screams and Octavio looks over at him and smiles; blowing her a kiss.

"Maybe he doesn't want you losers embarrassing him." Farkle jokes and Riley scuffs in disagreement. Octavio was like her Junior older brother. He cared about them all and protects them, why would he be embarrassed?

"He would never be embarrassed by us." She protests and Lucas looks over at her and sees she is about to get upset.

"That's not it. High School games can get rough, sometimes dangerous, depending on who the opposing team is. He's probably trying to keep you guys from getting hurt." Lucas tells her and Riley has to admit that sounds a lot like her friend.

"Thanks Lucas." She says smiling and he nods his head at her.

The team won the game and Riley ran to give her friend a big congratulations. He hugged her back tightly and thanked her for coming out but told her why he never invited them before.

"The visiting team can get violent if they lose and the guys on my team are a bit much. They're nice but I'm protective and you are too good to listen to them try and hook up with you or Lucy or Zoe."

While he appreciates her cheering him on in her usual Riley way, he cares more about her safety. Most of his friends are younger than him; not that he was immature but he just seemed to get freshmen and sophomores more than juniors and seniors. To him, not everything was about getting girls, drinking, drugs, or partying. He likes his friends, he likes Book Club, and he loves Riley like a sister and is starting to like her friends. Even the pretty boy.

Riley told him she understood and promised she would let him know if she was planning on going to another game. She likes that he cares, but he is a friend and she wants to support him. Maybe her dad can go to a game with her. He thanked her for coming to see him and went back to his team so they could talk with their coach. Riley walked away ignoring some of the teams cat calls and comments about how she was going to reward him for his win and knew that was what Octavio wanted to protect her and the other girls from.

It was a shame that's how people view girls when they show up to a sports game.

When she made her way back to everyone, they were talking about how Octavio was a great player and how they should go to one of his away games.

"Maybe it could be a Book Club field trip!" Zay says and Maya scuffs a little.

"I don't know. Maybe. I actually have to run home I need to change before I go out to dinner with my uncle." Riley says and gets her stuff together.

"How is Eric doing?" Farkle asks and Riley smiles.

"He's doing great actually! He told me he is trying to get more resources into public schools." She answers so proud of his success.

"Where was he the mayor of again?" Maya asks her smirking a little and Riley's glare goes hard. Before she could answer however, Farkle and Lucas spoke up.

"Doesn't matter, he's here now and he's trying to help make New York a better place!" Farkle says

"Don't care, Eric is awesome and deserves our support!" Lucas says as well making Maya lose her smirk and shrink back into her quiet.

Riley gives them a thanks and leaves them all to meet with her uncle. It doesn't bother her that Maya is trying to anger her. She means, it does in a way, but it doesn't hurt her like it would have so long ago. Maya needed to grow up, until she did Riley wasn't going to let her harsh demeanor bother her.

XOXOX

Uncle Eric picks her up around 7:45 and takes her to a nice diner a couple blocks away. He asked her if she wanted to go anywhere fancier but she said she just wanted to spend time with him. They haven't gotten to hang out just them in a couple weeks and she missed him.

They both order breakfast, the best thing to get at a diner, and talk about how everything has been for them both.

"Well I'm trying to reach out to my old friend Jack who got involved into a corrupt company. Trying to help him out and make him realize he still has people that care about him." Eric tells his little Neech who nods supportively.

"Does he have any family?" She asks him and he smiles sadly.

"It's Shawn's half brother." He admits and her smile falls. Sadly that makes sense to her but who knows, maybe they do have a relationship. Maybe she'll see him at the wedding.

"Well he has you, and if you ever want to bring him to one of our 'dates' I'd love to meet him." She suggests and Eric has never met a more selfless person. She has mostly had bad experiences with her god father and yet she was willing to have open arms to his brother. He had to give the young girl credit, she was a very good person.

"I think we can do that. Maybe in a couple weeks; I have a lot of meetings and I'm bringing Tommy over to Philly to see grandma and grandpa." Eric explained smiling as he thought of the young kid he almost adopted all those years ago. He had such an impact on this child's life, he tracked him down many years later and believed in him when no one else did.

Tommy was actually the first person in a long time to have such blind faith in him.

"That's great Uncle Eric! Make sure you tell Tommy I said hi and I'm still waiting for great book recommendations." she joked with him and he smiles and tells her he would.

They talk a little more while they eat; Riley already told him about what happened at the Ski Lounge and her uncle nodded and tells her that he thinks in the end Lucas is going to choose her.

"Just a feeling I have. You are growing up while Maya seems to be grasping onto the past and Lucas is noticing. I think in the end he is going to let Maya down gently." Eric gives his theory and Riley gets lost in thought for a little.

"But what if...what if I don't want him to choose me anymore? What if we aren't good together like before?" She had to ask because if she were being honest with herself; she wasn't completely sure how she felt about Lucas anymore. She loves him, she's felt so strongly for him since they met but is that the love that is going to last forever? Or is that just friendship?

Eric puts a hand on top of his niece's and gives her a small smile. He's had girlfriend's in the past but nothing like the love his brother and sister in law claim to have. He just wants the best for Riley, if that means she ends up with Lucas, or Octavio, Farkle, or hell she can end up with a girl for all he cares, he just wants her to be happy.

"Only you can answer that Neech. Sometimes you have to choose if it's worth taking that risk from friends to more."

XOXOX

Corey and Topanga watched as their kids along with Zoe, Mike, Octavio, Lucy, Tyler, Farkle, and Smackle all huddled together watching Hey Arnold; an old Nickelodeon show that played in the mid 2000s.

As soon as both parents met Riley's new friends they could see the positive impact they brought to their oldest child. Before Farkle and Smackle came over, the Mathews parents sat down and got to know a little bit about Riley's friends.

Zoe, a freshman, is a very shy and polite girl to those who just meet her, yet as soon as she is with people she considers family, she becomes loud, goofy, yet there is a protectiveness she has over the ones she cares about that made Topanga immediately like about her. Lucy, a sophomore, is similar yet she is more quiet and they could tell she is someone who notices everything and memorizes people by their attitudes; making her know immediately when and if something was wrong with someone. Octavio is a junior and a little like Lucas; strong looking, serious face; yet he has the same protective aura that Zoe gives off. He looks at their daughter like a big brother would look at his little sister; almost like how Josh looks at Riley. Corey would have been uncomfortable which a guy almost three years older than his daughter so close to her but he is going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Mike, another sophomore, is friendly and shy at first like everyone else. He makes jokes to everyone including Farkle and Smackle when they show up. He seems like a nice guy. Not as surprising as they thought, both Corey and Topanga both approve of all her friends on their first impressions.

"Ah mami don't tell me she made multiple shrines to this kid! That's a little crazy." Octavio protests shaking his head.

"It's because she feels like Arnold is too good to her. In her world; people are not kind; they are mean and cruel and choose her sister over her. Arnold is nice to her despite her being mean to him. She worships that on a Godly level because she doesn't believe normal people are like that." Smackle says factually and everyone looks at her but agrees she has a point.

"I love the episode where Arnold dreams he went to visit his cousin Arnie and he meets Hilda and she is EXACTLY like Helga really is but hides to the world." Riley gushes and Lucy and Zoe gush with her.

"Exactly! Helga and Arnold are meant to be! They better get together in the Hey Arnold TV movie that's coming out in 2017!" Lucy says and everyone also agrees.

Auggie and Tyler get tired of watching after awhile and choose to go into his room and play.

"Everyone okay with pizza?" Topanga asks the kids and everyone cheers in thanks.

"Oh I forgot to tell you Mrs. Mathews, my mom made some of her homemade flan for dessert!" Zoe tells her friend's mom.

Octavio and Lucy cheer but everyone else gets confused.

"It's a Spanish dessert. It's very good but if someone doesn't like it, I also brought cannolis from down the block." She says and Topanga gives a sweet smile.

"Thank you Zoe, you didn't have to do that but I'm really excited to try it." She tells the girl honestly and Zoe smiles and nods.

"You'll love it Mrs. M! It's still a little warm which I personally like better. You're lucky too, if my papi saw her making this, he would have stolen the whole thing." She jokes and Corey laughs.

"You're dad's a dessert freak like me?" He asks and she shakes her head.

"No, he just likes her flan it's that good." She brags a little and everyone starts getting hungry as they wait for the pizza.

Riley goes over to Farkle and sits down next to him.

"So what made you guys stop by?" She had to ask. Farkle and Smackle just look at each other.

"Well, we both decided since we joined Book Club every other week, we got to know your friends and want to expand our horizons too. I love our friends. I love what we had when we were younger but I'm starting to realize I can have you guys and meet new people who can teach me things too; you know what I mean?" Farkle tells Riley trying to explain how he feels. He likes Riley's new friends, he really does. Mike and him have some things in common and he gets along with everyone else.

Riley does know what he mean. For so long she felt a little tied down to the person she was when she was Maya's good girl best friend; the ray of sunshine, the rule follower, the one with her head in her clouds. When she broke away from everyone and met Zoe, she felt like she could be the woman she was meant to be. Zoe, Lucy, Mike, Octavio; they all helped her bring her true self out. Whereas with Maya, Lucas, and Zay she felt like she was being pushed into the shadows.

"It makes perfect sense. As long as you aren't trying to use my friends as a practice. They are amazing people and while I love you Farkle, I will protect them if you aren't being sincere with them." She tells her friend Farkle seriously and he knew it too. Being friends with such protective people made Riley's own protective instincts that much stronger. He was proud to see her so strong.

"Understood. Don't worry; I would never do that to such good people. I'm not like that." He tells her and she smiles and gives him a small hug.

"I know you aren't but I'm always going to worry about the people I love; and that includes you and Smackle." She tells them.

XOXOX

For the rest of the month, things were getting better. Farkle, Smackle, and her were talking a lot more and meeting up with Zoe and the rest of that group when they didn't have plans with Lucas, Maya, and Zay. So far there has been a great balance; Farkle will mention one of them at lunch and besides Maya, everyone will know what he meant. For Riley, it was amazing to see everyone kind of blend together into a new group. She just wishes Maya would want to be a part of it.

"So for my mom's wedding, I was thinking we can do a group photo of the five of us before the ceremony. If you guys want, we can all get ready at my new place." Maya suggests and Riley knows she is the one being left out. Zay, Maya, Lucas, Farkle, and Smackle. Five. It stung a little but what could she do?

Lucas looked at Maya a little disappointingly. He gets that she is hurt but at this point, she was being a little ridiculous. Everyone was getting a long so much better now and she just didn't want to be apart of that. He knew she was better than this.

"Actually I can't but if anything changes I'll let you know." Lucas says and Maya looks at him sadly. She misses him. She misses him so much and just wants someone to talk to! Why can't anyone see that?

Wait...

Is this how Riley felt all that time before she broke away from everyone...before she broke away from her? Maya looked over at Riley who was smiling softly at what Zay and Farkle was talking about. Has Maya made a huge mistake?

TBC!

Is Maya finally seeing the error of her ways?


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Notes: Warning: This story is almost over but just to let you know this chapter has a LOT of Rucas undertones. So if you are not a Rucas fan, just think of it as friendship but just remember this is PROBABLY not going to end Rucas, there's a 2% chance it could.

btw Santa is real...don't let this story fool you SANTA IS REAL!

XOXOX

With Christmas so close, Riley asked her mom if she would want to go shopping with her this Saturday when they both had some free time. Topanga immediately said yes at the chance of an afternoon bonding day with her daughter and the two of them went to the closest mall.

"Did you know what you were looking for exactly?" The mother asked her daughter as she thought of more things to get her children. She noticed Riley had a somewhat different fashion style now and wanted to buy her some new cloths. One thing she really loved about her daughter's new persona is that it isn't negative like she originally thought it was. Her cloths are somewhat darker but are not under any circumstances inappropriate. She's expressing herself in a new way and as much as hates to admit it, Topanga is not someone who appreciates change like she should.

Riley thinks it over and knows she wants to get more of her friend's gift with her mom, so she can buy what she needs to buy for her mom and Auggie when she goes shopping with her Uncle Josh.

"I think I'm going to browse for anyone at this time except you. I'm finding your gift when I go out with Uncle Josh." She answers and her mom smiles at the mention of her spending more time with her uncle and not just her friends like she used to.

They go shopping for a couple hours; Topanga picks up some "Santa Gifts" for Auggie and even a little something for Ava, who despite being a little bratty, has grown on the older woman. She gets her husband some cloths for him too, and plans on buying him his favorite whiskey he only drinks on special occasions. She notes the things she wants to buy for her daughter and tries to think of the day she can pick them up. She also looks around for somethings for her sister and thinks of things to get Katy and Shawn before and after the wedding.

Riley however wastes no time in getting things for her friends. She buys Zoe a beautiful leather bound journal with the Tree of Life on the front, Lucy a couple records she knows her friend has been eyeing, Mike a nice Nets jersey of his favorite player since they've had so many basketball talks through out their friendship, Octavio a Supernatural shirt from Hot Topic and a POP Castiel as "Steve", she tried finding the original Castiel with his trench coat, but the guy says they didn't have it. For Farkle and Smackle she gets them a gift card to their favorite restaurant and this really cool Science book she knows Farkle wanted. For Zay a couple funny shirts. She looks around for Lucas for a while and decides to get him this Texas themed shirt and a long stainless steel necklace that had the state of New York on it. She knows he'll understand what she means.

She decides she was going to wait till she shops with her uncle to look for something for Maya.

When she moves onto buying for her family, she gets her dad some new pajamas and book on WWII she thinks he would like. Auggie she gets him some new shoes and a game for his DS her mom was planning on giving him for Christmas. For her Uncle Eric she gets him this funny tie she knows he would like and dress shirt she thinks he would look good in. For Uncle Josh, she gets him a new beanie, this one forest green and is going to get him a gift card to Bed Bath & Beyond so he can get more stuff for his dorm next year. She buys a couple more things for her grandparents but saves the rest for later since her arms were getting too full.

"It's a good thing you save up so much for the holidays. You are too generous." Topanga tells her and Riley smiles, taking that as a compliment.

"You can never be too generous during Christmas. I don't want to get people impersonal gifts. Oh by the way, I want to stop by the Disney store and get something for the Toys for Tots!" Riley says as she remembers the older Marines that are seated in the mall, collecting donations or toys so children in need can have a Christmas as well.

Topanga smiles but agrees and they head to the children store and they both buy a Disney figurine set. One of Disney princesses and one Micky Mouse. Riley brings them over to the older military men and thanks them for the service before returning to her mom.

"Have I told you lately that I'm very proud of the woman you're becoming."

Riley smiles and gives her mom a one armed hug. Despite both their arms being full, the hug was just what they needed.

"Thanks mom, I had some good inspiration."

XOXOX

On the last day before winter break, Riley gathers all the gifts she got her friends and brings them to school with her. She is wearing her new lace emerald green long sleeved shirt with her tight black jeans, deep red leg warmers, and black boots. Her hair is curled beautifully, and she decides to forgo any makeup.

She happily says goodbye to her dad until class starts, looking at everyone in the halls with a smile. Many people have already exchanged gifts and were in a good mood. It seemed like it would be a good day.

She puts all the gifts she could in her locker and decides to talk to Zoe a little before the bell would ring. She walks to her locker and is expecting to see her half asleep as usual with a gallon of coffee in her hand. However, instead of half asleep. Her friend was decked out in green and red, including a glittering Santa hat with a tiara. As soon as Zoe sees her she squeals and gives her a giant hug almost dropping her coffee!

"Riley! I'm so happy to see you!" She says before pulling away and digging into her locker. She pulls out a hat just like hers and shoves it at her.

"Here I bought this for you! Oh it sucks I won't see you after today, mi familia and I are going to Jersey to see my Tia and Tio and their new baby." Zoe won't stop rambling and Riley smiles before putting the Santa hat she was given onto her head.

"I know what you mean, but we have today and a couple hours after school. I don't know about you but I want to make the most of it." Riley says before giving her another hug just as the bell is about to ring.

They tell each other they will see each other during free period and go their separate ways.

When she gets to her father's class, he has the word growth on the board. She looks at him and he just gives her a small smile and a look that was asking her to trust him. She nodded at him as she sat in her usual seat and turning to give Farkle and Smackle a smile.

"Look guys, I know no one today is going to be paying attention with winter break tomorrow but I just want to say one quick thing. This year I think you all can agree that you have been growing since you got to high school." Corey started to tell his students. Most of them he's already had the pleasure of teaching but some he's just meeting and he can tell he's already started to have an effect on them. He takes the lessons from Mr. Feeny and tries and teach this new generation.

"Yeah! I grew like a foot since I started here." A boy named Nathan jokes and Corey smiles and shakes his head.

"But it's more than that! You guys are growing up. Learning more, making new friends, and experiencing more than you thought possible. It's rough though right?" He asked everyone and can see the understanding in each of his student's eyes. He looked at Maya a little longer than everyone else and saw the effect his words were already having on her.

She just seemed so lost now and that kills him. He's known Maya since she crawled into Riley's window when they were seven. She had such fire, such spirit, but it seemed like losing Riley who was always attached to her hip made her start second guess herself. He always had a parental instinct to protect Maya and wanted to make sure she felt accepted and loved at all times. However, that instinct almost cost him a relationship with his own daughter Riley so he stepped back and trusted Shawn to watch out for Maya but it seemed like she was getting worse. She seemed so determined to stay the same and watch everyone else try new things.

"Is it always good to grow though? What's wrong with things staying the same?" Maya asked her favorite teacher softly. Ever since the ski lounge, Maya has been thinking more and more about what Riley must have felt like during the end of middle school. She knows she can be a little...demanding. Coming from a family where her dad left and her mom had to work so much she never saw her made Maya seem invisible to her family so she did everything she could to make sure everyone else saw her. It's just in herself to be the leader and have a lot of spot light and she always thought that Riley was okay with that. However, when she realized that the way she was feeling now might be how Riley was feeling for so long... she can't help but feel like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.

Riley was her best friend. She knew the moment she heard Riley singing in Bay Window all those years ago, there was a ray of light surrounding her and Maya, coming from a broken home, wanted some of that light. All these years past and she never noticed that she may have stolen all of Riley's light just so she could feel loved. Riley was supposed to be her always and forever and she hurt her that she went to find something more than her.

Corey looks at Maya softly and understands why she would ask such a question. Yes, sometimes he wishes he was back at high school with Topanga as his girlfriend not his wife, Shawn attached to his hip with Angela attached to his. They had so much less responsibility and had more time for fun. They had the time of their lives, but that doesn't mean he would trade his present to go back in the past.

"No. Sometimes growing can lead you to do bad things. Drugs maybe. Rushing into a relationship with the wrong person, making friends with people who want you to be untrue to who you really are, things like that. That's why it's so important to be educated. Some of the biggest mistakes people make at your age is because of a lack of education! That's why I teach you all these kinds of lessons, for you all to be prepared for the real world. This world is just beginning for you, you have so much to learn still." Corey lectures and everyone seems mesmerized with his words.

Lucas raises his hand hesitantly and Corey nods at him to ask his question.

"You never answered the second question: what's wrong with things staying the same?" Lucas smiles at him and knows he is trying to help one of his kids. Not Riley this time but Maya. The blonde was not in a good place right now and no one knew what to do to help her. They wanted her to be apart of their lives changing. Adding new friends to their group, doing things they never have before, broadening their horizons.

Corey nodded and thought for a second on how to say what he wanted to say. He was okay, but he was no Mr. Feeny.

"What do you learn when things stay the same? What can you accomplish if you do not grow?" He asked him instead but is looking at Maya.

Maya has tears in her eyes and she can feel Riley's eyes staring at her.

"Nothing, you can't do anything with yourself if nothing changes." She whispers and Corey nods sadly at her.

"Exactly right. Yeah, it's nice to be in a world where things are simple and everyone gets along, but that's not the real world. The world is complicated, messy, and filled with more drama than we probably need but it's the world we have. By staying the same and not giving yourself room to grow you trap yourself while everyone else grows bigger and bigger, leaving you feeling 2 feet tall." He finishes and Maya wipes her eyes and looks at Riley.

Riley was still staring at her and she had tears welling up in her eyes as well.

XOXOX

That day at lunch Riley walks to her usual table with everyone's gifts in her hands. She knows she will probably see them after today and before the holiday's but she really wanted them to get her gifts now. She saw Farkle and Smackle were already there with some gifts of their own to hand out.

"Hey guys! Happy early Christmas!" Riley says happily and plops all her bags on the table. She wasn't even buying lunch today she wanted to remember today. She put her journal down next to her placed it on her lap. She didn't think she was going to write anything yet but she liked to know it was close to her.

"Riley, you're a New Yorker, you don't need to say Happy Christmas." Farkle jokes and makes her laugh.

"Oh I'm sorry Smackle, I should have said Happy Hanuka too. How's your holiday going?" Riley asked politely and Smackle smiles a little happy her holiday and her family's beliefs aren't being ignored.

"It's okay to say Merry Christmas. Hanuka doesn't start till the 24th this year but when it does I will inform you." She replies and Riley nods before placing a small Hanuka bag in front of her, a Rudolf bag in front of her Farkle with an envelope in between.

"I got you guys a group gift since you both are so cute together." Riley says casually and smirks at the blush on both their faces.

Just as they were about to open their gifts, Zay, Lucas, and Maya come to the table with some gifts in their hands as well. Well Zay had a pile of envelopes on top of his lunch tray. They all greeted each other and smiled. Everyone seems like they are in a good mood as they handed out everyone's gifts out. Riley gently places a small box with an envelope in front of Maya. She doesn't look at her but instead thanks Farkle for the faux baby's breath hair piece and crescent moon necklace and thanks Smackle for a galaxy print infinity scarf and crescent moon stud earrings.

"I'm sensing a pattern here." She smiles at them and they nod while they open their gifts from her.

"Yeah well we figure you didn't want to be a ray of sunshine anymore, so moon child seemed like a safe assumption." Smackle says and Riley smiles.

"Not that you aren't a ray of sunshine but you have some moonlight in you. Thank you so much for this book, I've been wanting it forever." Farkle says.

She opens her gift from Zay and it's a $30 gift card to Barnes and Noble. She thanks him and watches while he opens her gifts which are tee shirts, one from The Dark Knight with the Joker, and the second a funny and only slightly inappropriate saying.

"Haha thanks Riley, I was almost afraid it was going to be a book." He jokes but she could tell he was only kidding and didn't hate reading as much as he says.

She looks over at Lucas and is surprised he didn't open his gifts yet, and was a little hurt when he didn't give her one. She already figured Maya wouldn't get her anything. Of course Christmas isn't about gifts and even if it was, it's about giving them not receiving. She thinks of last year when Maya's gift to her was Riley's donation to Maya getting a new winter coat and that honestly was fine with her. If Maya couldn't get her anything she wasn't going to be upset about it especially if she needed a new coat for winter.

Lucas gets up and looks over to Riley.

"Can you walk with me to my locker? I want to talk to you." Lucas says softly and Riley nods before getting up to follow him. Once they leave the cafeteria Lucas looks back to her.

"I know you're probably wondering why I didn't bring you anything..." He starts to say and she shakes her head.

"Not at all. I don't expect a gift from anyone, I just like giving things to people to try and make them happy." She answers and he can't help but smile at her answer. Some things about Riley will never change.

"Regardless, I did get you something. It's just I want to give it to you in private. Would it be okay if I stopped by your house tomorrow?" He asked her hopefully. Recently, he's felt so much closer to her and to have her so close and know he's still not where they were before still kills him.

"Sure. Morning okay?" She asked softly and he nodded in confirmation.

"Are you going to open your gift?" She asked him quietly. She wanted him to open it.

He shook his head.

"No, I'm going to wait till tomorrow so we can open them together."

Riley smiled as they reached into his locker so he can put the gifts from everyone else in there. However, before he could put hers she took it from him.

"Just so you aren't tempted." She smiles and walks away.

She doesn't see the pure happiness on his face as he walks away.

As soon as lunch was over, Riley practically ran to the library where Zoe and the gang were. She already had all her gifts for them in her hands but when she sees them, she runs right into Mike's arms for a big hug.

"Oh I'm so happy to see you guys!" She said once she broke apart from Mike and placed the gifts on their usual table.

She gives everyone else a hug and they end up talking about what they wanted to do during winter break instead of exchanging gifts.

"We should go to your mom's shop to hang out one day." Lucy suggested and Octavio snorts.

"Yes my dear, let's become even bigger nerd stereotypes." He jokes and everyone else laughs.

"I get what you mean Octavio but it's not the worst idea. I'd personally love to see the place. If it's anything like Riley's house, it's going to be awesome." Zoe says and winks at Riley.

They talk for another half hour before they realize that free period was about to be over. Mike quickly hands out everyone's gifts and they all give joyous thanks.

Riley holds on tightly to the black La Luna shirt (very ironic since all her other friends gave her something with a moon on it) Mike gave her, the set of The 100 pins and a Bellarke shirt from Lucy, the silver earrings and messenger bag from Octavio who wrote "hermanita" on the strap which she knew meant little sister and photo album with the many snap shots of Book Club and fun times with her new friends with a beautiful wrap around hair piece from Zoe.

These people, these amazing people she has only known for four months have helped her so much in no time at all. She has become so much stronger since she's met them and not because she leans on them but because they helped her stand on her own. They gave her the power of words and she found that in books, she was not only like everyone else but that it was possible for her to have a voice. It was possible for her be a more independent person as opposed to the girl she was who followed the shadows of Maya, Farkle, and Lucas.

"I love you guys so much!" Riley says to them as she hugs them all in thanks.

"And we love you." Mike says affectionately and she smiles at him.

Zoe can see something in her friend's eyes, something was going on and she knew that Riley needed to talk to someone about it.

"Come on mi vida, talk to me." Zoe gently pulls her to the side to where the shelves where. She leads Riley to the fiction section where they first met.

"Lucas wants to come over tomorrow to exchange gifts...privately." Riley admits and Zoe finally understands why Riley looks so nervous.

"And you're afraid of what exactly? That he's going to tell you he chose Maya?" She asks softly. She knows Riley still has some feelings for Lucas but she doesn't even think Riley knows how those feelings have changed since high school. But no matter what, Lucas will always hold a piece of Riley's heart. Just like Maya always will.

Riley thinks about it but shakes her head. "No that's not it. I think I'm afraid that he's going to say he chooses me." Riley finally admits that to someone. It's something that has been on her mind since her uncle told her he thinks Lucas will choose her.

"Go on sweetie...tell me more." Zoe pushes her friend a little as she puts a hand on her shoulder.

"I remember who I was when I knew I loved Lucas. I knew I loved him not too long after we met, the way we talked about our hopes in dreams in the library...it was magical. He is so special, so amazing, so...good. You know he brought a white horse to school and took me for a stroll through the halls, saying that to him I was a princess? It was one of the greatest moments of my life and he still said that was not HIS moment. I waited for so long for that moment to come but it never did and then Maya admitted she wanted him and I backed off so she could try and get happiness. How can I be the person I am now if I get together with Lucas? Will I go back to being the girl I was before? Overshadowed by someone that shines so much brighter than me?" She asks her friend lost and Zoe looks at her with such empathy.

"I know you're afraid...hell I would be too. Pero isn't that what love is? Jumping into something so scary yet so amazing?! Do you want me real opinion?" Zoe asks her and Riley immediately nods.

"If he does say he chooses you and you are not ready, you need to be honest with him. When you tried to tell him you thought of him as a brother, that was Maya talking, not you and that almost ruined you. You need to tell him how you felt then and how you feel now, in your heart, not anyone else's. If you still have feelings for him maybe it's a better idea to get to know each other more intimately before you even think about dating. Go out just you two but not as a date, just as friends. You told me you used to talk about anything and everything with him; maybe it's time to go back to that." Zoe says shrugging and she can see her words echoing in her friend's head.

As the bell rings, Riley gives her friend a giant hug and thanks her for everything. She gets her things and promises to see her friends soon before giving them yet another hug goodbye.

Maybe Zoe was right. However, Riley was not holding her breath on Lucas choosing her.

XOXOX

That morning, Riley woke up with knots in her stomach. She paced all around her room, debated with herself on what to wear, texted Zoe to try and calm herself but she didn't answer so Zoe must still be asleep and she didn't want to call her friend and wake her.

She rushed into her kitchen and saw her mom sitting, drinking her coffee slowly.

"Mom, I need your help." Riley stated almost frantically and Topanga's eyes go wide before she gets up.

"Can I take my coffee or does this require physical labor?" She asks her daughter seriously and Riley lets out a little smile.

"You can take the coffee. I just wanna talk to you and need some help." She says and Topanga follows her into her room and sees Riley hesitantly sit on the bay window, a place Riley hasn't been for advice in a long time.

"What's wrong sweetie?" The older woman asks and Riley tells her everything. Tells her Lucas is coming over soon, how she is kind of confused about her feelings for him but is still hoping he chooses her, how she isn't sure she is ready, and finally...

"I miss Maya. If by some chance, Lucas chooses me, I don't want to lose her completely. I don't want our only chance at becoming kind of friends again to be ruined over a boy." She admits and Topanga nods in understanding.

"Do you think your friendship was already ruined over Lucas?" She had to ask her daughter. She means that she saw Maya and Riley grow up together and grow even closer through out the years, that is, until Lucas. While she liked the boy, Topanga had to ask herself logically if he was the reason Riley felt depressed and alone.

"No. I mean, he was part of the reason of course, but no, he was not the reason I broke away from Maya. You know her mom, Maya is brighter than the Sun, and she casts a big shadow and I was in her shadow for a long time. With Maya around, I felt like I had no light and nothing I did caused anyone to really see me. I was considered Riley the Super Klutz and yet I know I can dance, yes I'm clumsy but I have some grace to me. People thought of me as naive and ditzy when I was second in my class with only Farkle being ahead of me. I just felt like a nothing. At times I felt worse than when I was being bullied by Missy. It just became too much." She tells her mom how it really felt all those months ago.

Riley talks about the last two years like it was a life time ago. It felt like it's been too long since she felt that way about herself and about others.

Topanga had tears in her eyes while she remembered Eric and Josh telling her that as her mother she was bias to Maya over Riley because she would comfort Maya over Riley, call Maya a warrior while treating her daughter like she WAS a ditz. It was a horrible realization for two people that she admittedly never took seriously to tell her something she was so blind to.

Riley also tells her what Zoe's advice is and Topanga feels a bit of jealousy at how well a freshman girl who's only known Riley since September has better advice than she does.

"I think Zoe is right. You have to go with your instincts; they haven't failed you yet."

Riley nods before standing up from the bay window.

"Can you help me find something to wear?" She asks her mom and Topanga gives a small smile before she stands up and makes her way to her little girl's closet.

"Let's see what we can find"

TBC!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Notes: Sorry about the delay guys, been super busy! busy weekend got a car, and I was watching old Disney movies that I grew up on. PIXEL PERFECT omg lol I loved that so much! Okay and people I saw the season 3 premiere and I have a few things I really didn't like (I won't spoil!) but all I will say is how much I loved Riley in that episode. I liked all the Riley and Maya scenes.

XOXOX

At ten in the morning, Riley heard her mother call her to the living room, saying Lucas was here to see her. Riley took a deep breath and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her mom helped her pick out a soft white long sleeved shirt with her deep red knit leggings. She kept her beige boot like slippers on and put her hair in a ponytail, her long hair slightly curled. She wished herself luck as she walked out of her room and saw Lucas there, looking almost as nervous as her.

He was wearing a dark forest green shirt and dress black pants and was fiddling with a small present in his hand. He looked at her and gave a soft smile while he politely excused himself from Topanga and Auggie.

"Hi." Lucas says to her as he walks closer to her.

"Hi Lucas." She smiles back and is surprised when he pulls her into a hug. She hugs him back softly and sees her mom giving her an encouraging nod.

"Do you want to go to my room to exchange gifts?" She asked him and he looks at her and bites his lip nervously.

"Is that okay with your parents?" He asked her, not wanting to upset Mrs. Mathews or hell, even Auggie, who already threatened to destroy him if he hurt his sister again.

Riley looked over to her mother who was not so subtly eavesdropping on them. Topanga was giving a small smile at the two kids. She really hopes Lucas' intentions are pure; for she just wants her daughter to be happy and for awhile, Lucas did make Riley happy.

"As long as you keep the door open, we should be okay." Topanga teases and gives her daughter a little wink.

"And don't forget what I told you mister!" Auggie yells out to Lucas giving him a mean glare making Lucas nod nervously.

They walked into her room silently and Lucas immediately goes and sits at the bay window.

"It's so weird." Lucas comments, making her turn to look at him before she could grab his gift.

"What is?"

"This place that was once so special to you and your friends, you barely even glance at. It's even a little dusty." He replies. His voice isn't accusing like she would have expected but just a matter a fact and he was right. She barley paid attention to the bay window in her room anymore. It held a lot of memories for her and most of them were good. However, some of them were horrible. She had memories on that bay window contemplating if her life had any meaning. She had memories where she would just be sitting on that stupid fucking* window sill crying her eyes out and thinking she was worthless.

"You're right, I hate looking at that window sill." She tells him honestly as she turns back to get his presents and sits on her bed. It's a little further than either of them would have wanted but it's just the way it's going to be.

Lucas takes out the box that was in his coat pocket but before he hands it to her he knows he had to tell her what happened yesterday.

"Before we exchange gifts, I need to tell you something." Lucas says and Riley bites her lip nervously.

"Okay...what is it?"

Lucas takes a deep breath, he knew this would be hard, but Riley deserved the truth.

"So after we went to my locker, Maya caught up with me before the day ended...She thought that I was being dishonest with her about wanting to figure my feelings out and was sneaking off with you behind her back." He started to say and she looked at him with a little confusion. She doesn't know where he was going with this.

"Okay..." She said and Lucas got up from the window sill and knelled in front of her. He took her hands in his.

"She was a little upset with me, saying a bunch of things about how we all abandoned her and how she couldn't lose me...so she kissed me." He tells her honestly and she couldn't help but suck in her breath.

She couldn't help but feel angry at Maya for one not trusting Lucas but in disrespecting his wishes and throwing herself at him. If he wasn't ready for anything, Maya should understand that. It's better to stay friends with someone than to do something so unforgivable that you DO lose them completely.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you were stuck in this position since Texas. I never wanted this for you Lucas, you have to believe me. That's why I tried pushing you away; I knew that if Maya liked you she would put her whole heart into you and I didn't want to get in the way of her happiness but I also thought she was better for you than me." She tells him as she grips his hands tighter in hers. She never was able to tell him the full story about why she lied to him in Texas, but it felt good to tell him the truth.

"I hate that we made you feel like you weren't good enough for us...that you weren't good enough for me." He whispers.

She gives him a sad smile.

"I got over that. We accept the love we think we deserve and I no longer think I'm worthless. I do have feelings for you Lucas...I always have but I'm not ready for anything other than friendship anymore. I thought I was ready...but I'm not." She tells him softly, not wanting to hurt him by telling him that the whole time she was pushing her feelings on him, she wasn't even ready for a relationship.

Lucas, who was still holding her hands, stood up. She was so afraid he was just going to walk out of her room and all the progress they made; their talk at the ski lounge, him joining Book Club, them hanging out more would be all for nothing.

Instead he pulls her up and gives her a hug. He hugs her tightly until she returns the hug and her forehead is on his shoulder.

"Thank you for being honest with me. I'm not ready for a relationship either with anyone." He confesses and she pulls away from him and she can see the true honesty in his eyes. It made her feel like free to finally be honest with Lucas but mostly to be honest with herself that she wasn't ready for a real relationship.

"How about we continue to get to know each other better? We can hang out more just the two of us." Riley suggests and he lets out a smile.

"I'd really like that Riley." He says before they both sit on her bed.

"Okay before anything else happens I really want to give this to you." Lucas says before handing her the small box.

Riley smiles as she hands him his gift. She opens the card first and reads the message he wrote her.

"Remember...my moment will be my moment. I hope the holidays bring you happiness and clarity. From, Lucas." She reads out loud and laughs when she sees the blush on his face.

She delicately opens the package and is shocked to see a silver charm bracelet. She gasps when she picks it up and sees three beautiful charms. A horse, a book, and a princess crown.

"It's...so beautiful." She whispers not tearing her eyes away from the amazing gift. It was...something she knew she would cherish.

"I don't think you remember but the book charm isn't because of Book Club. It's to represent the library we went together..." He says sheepishly which makes her smile.

"Where we learned how to talk to each other." She finishes and Lucas nods.

"That's a day I know I will never forget. The way you listened to me when I told you my biggest dream...it was something no one has ever done for me. You just told me to keep talking, to tell you more about myself. No one ever listens to me the way you do." He says softly and she smiles happily.

"That's a day I'll never forget either. It was amazing how you described giving birth to a horse; the way your eyes completely lit up! It was magical. It's a part of the you in Texas you seemed afraid to tell anyone, and it made me feel special that you told it to me." She says taking one of his hands again. It felt good to have him here so close to her again after so long.

"Open the present first please." She said when she saw he was about to open up the card first. He nods and opens up the package and is happy at what he sees.

He holds up the black tee shirt that had the state of Texas on it, made with a bunch of words that most people describe Texas as. However, that wasn't all that was in there. On the bottom of the box, was a little gift bag. He opens it and sees the state of New York on a long silver chain.

"Now you can read the card." She whispers and he shakily opens the card and reads her message out loud.

"We always used to say there are two sides to you: Texas Lucas and New York Lucas but the truth is, you were always New York Lucas. You just hid him from all of Texas and were only known as the bad boy, the tough guy while you gave birth to horses and dreamed of becoming someone who helps people. Now you hide all the parts of you that you are ashamed of when you should be wearing your past with pride! Be proud of the person you were; it helped you become the person you are and don't let the past dictate your future."

When Lucas is finished reading, he has tears glistening in his eyes. He looks up at Riley, the girl who always saw him for the person he is and the person he was. She always has faith in him.

She is smiling and all he can remember is the girl that fell on his lap in the subway. This angel of of a girl that smiled at him and made his heart glow. She may look different, she may have grown up emotionally and physically but he will always remember when he first laid eyes on her.

He leans in closer and...

XOXOXOX

(Christmas Eve)

Riley looks around her home and sees it slowly filling up with her family. Her mom and dad were talking to her grandparents while Uncle Josh was having fun with Auggie, asking him if he was checking the Santa locator to find out where he was. Auggie's eyes were glued to his uncle's phone as he explained how the app kept track of where Santa was for the next two days.

Uncle Shawn, Maya, and Katy were there too. They were at the living room bay window talking about how much planning they had to do for their spring wedding. Maya had a small smile on her face and Riley was extremely happy for her. Shawn was going to be the father in Maya's life that she always craved for. He was going to be there for her in a way Riley's own dad was to her. She knew Maya was the maid of honor and was so going to be staying with them while Katy and Shawn were on their honeymoon. Riley was going to make sure that week she stayed there was going to be comfortable for both of them.

She heard a knock on the door and quickly ran to open it and was excited to see Uncle Eric and Shawn's brother Jack. Both of their arms will filled with gifts but Riley knew that wasn't going to stop her.

"Uncle Eric!" Riley exclaimed as she jumped into his arms.

"Neech!" He yelled even louder giving her a giant bear hug.

"Jack, it's so good to see you again!" Riley says to her uncle's friend before she gives him a big hug as well. They only met once, but they seemed to get along well; not as close as her and her uncles but he seemed like a good man who just lost his way.

Jack smiled at the young girl and returned the hug. It's been so long since he was included in the Corey/Topanga/Shawn/Eric times so he felt a little out of place. Eric reaching out to him after so many years threw him for a loop. For a long time he did only what he thought would benefit himself when he could have been doing things to help others. Losing Rachel really messed him up and it took almost 20 years to see what he should have done was stay close to his family. Eric, sweet, simple Eric has been pushing him back towards his family and friends since they met up almost a year ago. He introduced him to Riley at one of their "date nights" and he can see Corey and Topanga in the girl. She was a sweet kid and he could tell she was a very good person.

Shawn stands up in shock at seeing his half brother again after so long. It's been a good five years since he saw him and that was only in passing. He wonders how the older man kept in touch with Eric and even knew Riley. He was never that close to his brother, except after their father passed away but they just came from two different worlds.

"Jack...wow. It's good to see you." Shawn says as he moves in closer to Eric, Jack, and Riley to give his brother a hug.

Jack gives a sad smile and hugs him back lightly. He has never been as close to his brother as he wished he could be; something he had in common with Eric but after so many years of Shawn's resentment of his family having money, Jack stopped trying and Shawn never reached out either. It hurt, but it was his reality.

While Corey, Topanga, and the elder Mathews go to greet Jack as well,Topanga looks at Riley who was excited to see Jack too.

"So Jack, when did you meet Riley?" Topanga asked curiously and Jack scratched the back of his head nervously. Topanga always gave him the creeps just because she could be so intimidating.

"We actually met a couple weeks ago when Riley and Eric went out to dinner." He replied and Riley nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! I didn't tell you I invited him over tonight because I wanted everyone to be surprised!" She answers happily and looks over at Shawn who seemed embarrassed that he didn't even know his brother was in town.

"Well you know you've always been welcome here Jack." Corey says softly as he puts his hand on his daughter's shoulder. He's so proud of his daughter who is not only branching out herself, but bringing back relationships that have been damaged since **he** was little. Him and his older brother have never been as close as Riley and Auggie are, but thanks to his brother's involvment in his kids' lives, they finally got to know each other for real. This is the first time in a long time Eric and him have been remotely close and he has Riley to thank for it.

"Uncle Eric! Uncle Eric!" Auggie screeches doing his little dance at seeing his uncle. He may be getting a little old for this but it was their tradition and it was pretty fun.

"Oh! Oh! It's cousin Auggie!" Eric jokes before running to give him a hug too.

After they eat dinner and everyone is relaxed, they decide to open some gifts before dessert. They all sat in the living room close together while Maya and Riley passed out presents. Riley could see in the corner of her eye something around Maya's wrist. It was the Alex and Ani Wings of Change bracelet she gave her for Christmas. She thought that was the best thing she could give her old friend and remembers writing her a long letter, wishing her all the best happiness in the world.

Maya catches her eyes and gives her a smile as they hand people their gifts. They all decide to open two gifts each and either take the rest home or wait until tomorrow.

Topanga thanks Riley for the Alex and Ani Mom charm bracelet and Katy for a gift certificate for a spa day at her favorite spa place.

Corey thanks his parents for the work vests and Auggie for the work planner.

Katy thanks Maya for simple gold mom necklace and Corey and Topanga for the gift card to Home Goods so they can add things to their new home.

Amy and Alan thank their grand-kids for the photo collage frame of them, Corey and Topanga, Josh, and Eric as well as Eric for a dinner for two at their favorite restaurant.

Auggie thanks Uncle Eric for the movies and his grandparents for the toys he's been wanting for a long time.

Josh thanks Riley for his hat and gift card and Corey on his very filled Metro card for the subway, both will help him a lot next year.

Eric gets extremely giddy when he opens the bag filled with candy from Auggie and the nice wool scarf from Jack.

Maya thanks the Mathews for the artist marker set and the gift card from her mom.

Jack who wasn't expecting anything since no one knew he was coming was surprised to see Eric and Riley each give him a gift. He opens a picture of him with the rest of the gang from college in a simple black frame from Eric and a canvas quote that said "Family don't end in blood boy!" from Riley. He looks at her a smiles.

"It's from Supernatural but I figured you'd like it, even if you don't watch the show." She says shyly hoping Octavio didn't give her bad advice on what the quote should be.

Jack shakes his head.

"I actually love Supernatural! It's my guilty pleasure show." He admits and Riley laughs before giving him a small hug.

Riley looks at Shawn who was watching the exchange somberly before she gets up and hands her godfather the gift she got him and mentions for him to open it.

He looks at her confused but opens the gift just the same to see a moderate sized black photo album. He opens it up and sees it's filled with pictures of him and Corey, him with his friends, Katy and Maya, Katy and him, and just some of Maya alone. On the last page he sees a note from Riley that says, "Treat them well. They deserve only the best."

He looks at his best friend's daughter and sees her talking to Josh, Eric, and Jack laughing about something and a pang fills his heart. He probably will never get a real relationship with his god daughter and yet she was wishing him only the best for him as well as Katy and Maya.

She was definitely Corey with Topanga's hair. He doesn't thank her but he knows no matter what he says will be good enough.

When it's Riley's turn to go, she picks up a present from her parents and one from her god mother Nebula who shipped her and Auggie's gift a couple days ago.

She gasps happily when she sees the beautiful dress her mom had to have picked out. It was exactly what she would have picked if she saw it. The whole thing was lace but it had a modest V-neck and the lace on the bottom seemed to be fanning out. She remembers seeing it on display on Hot Topic and thought it was simple yet beautiful.

She looked at her mom and gave her a giant hug. They have come so far since the beginning of the year. Last year her mom and her barley knew each other and now her mom knew something she would absolutely love.

"Thank you so much! I love it." She whispers and Topanga was so happy to hear that.

When she opens up the gift from her godmother, she is so happy to see a beautiful wooden jewerly box that her aunt tells her was made special for her from a friend she has in Africa. She opens the box and sees a handmade elephant necklace. It was so beautiful, she knew she was going to write her aunt a thank you letter as soon as everyone went home.

Just as she was about to set up the dessert plates, Josh insisted that he open the gift he bought her. She agreed since him and everyone seemed so excited and took the small box he handed her and she saw him give her parents a little nod. She gave him a confused look but he just motioned for her to open it.

On the top was a framed photo of her, Josh, and Eric at the park. She remembers them taking it the day they took her away from her parents; the day they told her mom and dad that they were failing her. They took her to the park to get ice cream and to feed the ducks. They ended up talking for hours about their hopes and dreams.

Her uncles helped her be happy with herself. Everything that happened between her and her parents faded away because she knew she had them. She likes to think she's had an impact on them as well.

She goes to thank him but he shakes his head.

"There's something under it." He tells her with a smile and she lifts up the frame to see an envelope. Cautiously she opens it up and gasps when she read it.

It was a plane ticket to Florida for her birthday.

"You, Eric, Auggie, your parents, and I are going to Disney for your birthday in February." He tells her and she screeches and jumps into her Uncle's arms.

"I can't believe it! This was your idea!?" She asks him when she breaks apart and Josh nods.

"Well it was my idea, but we all pitched in." He says and she looks over at everyone who seems happy for her, even Katy, Shawn, and Maya.

"Thank you so much! You all didn't have to do this and I couldn't be more excited!" She squeals and everyone laughs.

Auggie comes over to her and the two of them start jumping up and down in excitement. She just couldn't believe it.

XOXOX

That night when everyone goes home and her parents finished reading "The Night Before Christmas" to Auggie, Riley wishes her family a goodnight and heads to her room to relax a little.

When she finishes getting ready, she sits on her bed and notices a box on her bay window.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl meets World or their characters or the TV shows or Books I reference in this story.

Author's Notes: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I HAD NO IDEA I DIDN'T POST THE FINISHED CHAPTER! I KEPT READING THE COMMENTS AND WONDERING WHY PEOPLE KEPT ASKING ME WHAT WAS IN THE BOX. Thank to all my reviewers who let me know lol I feel so stupid BUT BECAUSE OF ALL YOUR AMAZINGNESS...I'M GOING TO MAKE AN ALTERNATE ENDING! A RUCAS ALTERNATE ENDING JUST BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SO AWESOME!

XOXOXOX

That night when everyone goes home and her parents finished reading "The Night Before Christmas" to Auggie, Riley wishes her family a goodnight and heads to her room to relax a little.

When she finishes getting ready, she sits on her bed and notices a box on her bay window. Hesitantly, she walks over and sees a note with her name on it, her name written in a very familiar handwriting.

She opens the letter and reads,

" _Riley, I can't tell you how hard these past few months have been. I feel like a part of my soul was missing because you weren't by my side like you have been since we were seven. I saw how different you were becoming and I was afraid that you didn't want anything to do with me anymore and that killed me. I thought something bad must have happened because I couldn't comprehend you choosing to make new friends, a new life without me in it. I know I said some awful things; to your face and definitely behind your back. I flaunted Lucas and my flirting at you because I was so sure with you gone, he was going to run into my arms. Pettiness on my part. Not only pettiness but stupidity because Lucas doesn't want me...I see that now._

 _After what happened at the Ski Lounge, how I saw you slowly getting closer to Farkle and Lucas again, I lost it. I was convinced you were trying to take everything away from me. It was actually Lucas who started to set me straight. Our entire friendship was not perfect; especially not for you. There are times when you felt left out; ignored and where everything was about me and I should have noticed you suffering. Before I even met Shawn, I knew that you felt like he wanted nothing to do with you and I immediately hated him for that; I hated that someone would choose to ignore you when in reality I did the exact same thing. As soon as Shawn and I talked, I wanted him as part of MY family that I stole what chance you both could have gotten to bond. I am truly sorry for that._

 _These past few months have been hard, but I finally know what you were feeling and you're right. Things will never be the same between the two of us ever again. We both became different people. I am no longer broken; I have a mom that notices me and a father figure who wants to be there for me. I have friends, I have my art; I am very blessed. I know you will always be a big part of me, but I think you were right to branch away from me and I'm finally going to start doing the same._

 _I'm not going to make Farkle or the rest of them choose me over you; they seem to like your new friends and even like Book Club and I'm happy for you guys. I actually just signed up for Art Club the other day and I'm really excited about it. I really want to meet new people and hopefully make some new friends, a little like you._

 _I wish you only the best in life. I know we will still be in each others lives but just not like before. Not anywhere close. Thank you for giving me some of your sunshine. I love you always Riles and I will always be here if you need me. You will always be a sister to me._

 _Love Always,_

 _Peaches_ "

There were tears in Riley's eyes by the time she finished. Not because she disagreed with what Maya said, but because she finally feels like the both of them are free. Free from the past where they had to do whatever the other was doing. She felt like Maya finally opened up to the idea of broadening her horizons, fearful yet excited.

She opened the box and smiles when she sees an Alex and Ani box. No matter what, somethings will never change between the two of them. She opens it and sees the Path of Life silver bracelet, not the charm but the regular bracelet.

Under the bracelet was Maya's friendship ring; the ring she promised she would never take off. It wasn't a goodbye, Riley knew, it was a new beginning.

TBC

There is only one chapter to go!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets World or it's characters, I do own Zoe, Octavio, Lucy, and Mike but sadly they do not exist on the show.

Author's Notes: First off I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! I had to wait to buy my anti virus so my computer was on lock down for over a month! But I just wanted to say thank you to all who read this story it means so much to me because I was so afraid to post this but everyone's kind reviews just gave me the biggest confidence boost. I am forever grateful to you all.

This is my RUCAS Ending (If you're not a Rucas fan you can skip and the previous chapter is the end) I hope you all enjoy.

XOXOX

(One Year Later)

Riley gives a warm smile as she watches some of the Juniors hanging up signs for the Homecoming Dance that was going to take place next Friday. She was super excited to go; not because she had a date, but because she knew she would be going with her friends and just having a good time. She went last year with Zoe and Lucy and had a blast but this year everyone agreed to go as a group.

She picks up her lunch tray, after thanking the nice elderly lunch aid Susan and makes her way to her table where some of her friends were waiting for her. Octavio and Zay were arguing over what their next marathon was going to be. Octavio wanted Hitchcock while Zay wanted a Mavel marathon.

"Adios Mio come on! All those movies are over rated! Alfred Hitchcock is a freaking legend! Psycho alone is a hell of a lot better than Iron Man 2!" Octavio protests and Zay just rolls his eyes at the Senior boy and starts to eat his lunch. As much as Zay liked to complain about book club, he became a big part of their group and all the original members thought very highly of him and his opinions.

Zoe was twirling her hair and reading a book, all while Mike and Farkle were talking about their upcoming English project they were partners on.

It warmed Riley's heart to think about how her older friends and her newer friends mostly blended together. Farkle, her oldest and best friend that has stood by her for so long quickly saw the good in her new friends and bonded with them. Mike became one of Farkle's closest friends, they had a lot in common when it came to school and interests; Farkle even became a good wing-man to Mike. When he came out to his friends six months ago that he was bi, Farkle started helping him get the scoop on some of the single boys and girls in school.

As Riley plops her tray next to Zoe, her friend looks up from her book with a giant smile. The Latina beauty closes her book and looks at her with an excited face. Zoe and her have only gotten closer since Freshmen year and it was nice to have a great friendship with someone and not be attached to the hip with them. They were amazing friends, but they didn't hang out with each other every second of everyday and that was great for both of them. Riley became a lot closer to her family and spends at least 4 days of the week with someone from her family while Zoe likes to spend time with her family but mostly likes her time for herself to read or do whatever she wants to.

"Mi vida, aren't you excited for the dance Friday?! You, me, Luce, and Smackle have to go shopping for the perfect dress!" She tells her in her usual fast pace with a beaming smile that always makes Riley happy.

"Sure, I think that would be a lot of fun!" Riley replies happily. Smackle, Lucas, and Lucy had lunch next period so they would have to talk to the girls during their gym class; the only class all the girls shared together. She was thinking Smackle would look good in an emerald dress but they were so hard to find.

"So do you think Lucas is going to ask you to the dance?" Zoe asks her after a couple minutes of silence. Riley looks up from her lunch confused.

"No. I told you so many times, the two of us are just friends! Even if we weren't I told you what happened when we were younger with the Semi-formal; I was dropping hints for months and he didn't ask me until someone else did." Riley recalls her eighth grade dance with a frown. While she did have a good time with her friends, that dance was one of the many times she was confused about how Lucas really felt about her.

"Excuses my love, that was two years ago! Anywho you and Lucas are definitely not friends anymore. You have been having 'friend dates' together every Wednesday for over a year." Zoe points out. She refuses to let Riley ignore what's right in front of her. Lucas is crazy about her, but Riley is always going to fear that she is not good enough for him.

It breaks her heart to see her best friend doubt herself so strongly. Lucas really grew on her; the good looking white boy truly had good intentions. He may have been a little naive but she knew he grew up a lot since he got to high school.

Riley looks at her and bites her lip nervously. While her feelings for Lucas have been resurfacing, she was still afraid that she was reading too much into Lucas' feelings for her. After all...he's never really made a move.

(Flash back to 2 weeks ago)

Lucas and Riley were sitting on her floor laughing while they both had both hands up. They were taking a break from their homework and decided to play Never have I Ever. Every Wednesday since last year's Christmas, Lucas would come over and the two of them would hang out. Sometimes they would just do homework, sometimes they would watch movies, but every time they would just enjoy each others company and get to know each other better.

"Okay my turn. Never have I ever...curled my hair." Lucas smirks as she sticks her tongue out at him and puts down one of her fingers.

"Oh that's how you wanna play? Alright well...never have I ever owned a horse!" She grinned and he laughed at her expression as he put down a finger.

He hummed and thought about what he was going to ask her but was getting too distracted at the sound of her laugh. It sounded like soft bells and her eyes were shinning in happiness. It was a perfect look for Riley. For years she was a ray of sunshine but the more he got to know her, he realized she was like the twilight. She reminded him of the time of day when the sun was still out and yet the moon was visible as well. She was brighter than the sun or the moon. She was Riley and that was more than enough.

"Never have I ever...made out with a boy." He says softly waiting for her reaction. He knows that he was her first kiss and they never made out but he never knew what happened between her and Charlie.

Riley stopped laughing and gave him a little look but didn't let down one of her fingers.

"Never have I ever...made it past first base." She admits gently. It bothered her a little that no one ever showed any romantic interest in her since she got into high school. She wasn't looking for a relationship with just anybody, but it was nice to be noticed. However, she refused to change herself so people would notice her. She was over that.

Lucas nodded to himself and also didn't put a finger down. He knows she probably thinks something happened between him and Maya but to be honest, it just didn't feel right to either of them. They kissed once when Riley wasn't really talking to them Freshmen year but it just...lacked the chemistry they both thought would be there. As much as Maya wanted them to get together, it just wasn't in the stars for them.

He thinks about how things have changed so much between Maya and the rest of the group. She joined Art club after Christmas last year, and quickly made a bunch of friends within that group. She still spoke to them, but she after their first year ended, she stopped sitting with them at lunch and took more classes with her art friends. It was better for Maya, she genuinely seemed happier.

They all went to her mom's wedding to Shawn and her and Riley even suggested some group photos together. First was one of her, Riley, and Farkle; the original trio. Then it was them and Lucas, the new kid that spiced up their lives a little. After was them with Zay and Smackle, two friends that they couldn't imagine themselves without. Finally just one of Maya and Riley; the two that started it all. He knows the two of them still talk on occasions but they were no longer joined together for everything; they both wanted to experience their own things.

Lucas looks at Riley and gives her a sweet smile. He loves these days; the days where the two of them can get to know each other without the pressure of anyone or anything. They didn't have to pretend with each other on Wednesdays; they were just Lucas and Riley here.

He leans in a little closer to her and Riley's breath hitches in nervous anticipation. Was this really really happening? Was he finally making this his moment?!

Just when he is inches away from her, he pulls back a little.

"I should get going." He whispers and Riley can feel his hot breath tickling her cheek.

When he pulls away and stands up, she is just looking up at him with sadness in her eyes.

What just happened? She wants to ask him. She thought he was finally going to tell her how he felt about her. Was she not good enough? Was he thinking they would only lead to disaster? Was he wishing she was someone else?

She wants to ask him those things, but instead she just stands up and gives him a hug goodbye. Because Riley isn't sure she could handle another rejection from him; her heart wouldn't be able to take it.

(End Flashback)

"It doesn't matter. I'm excited for this dance because I'm going to be with my friends, not a date. I'm actually more excited Octavio agreed to go; this will be his last homecoming." She pouts and looks over to her friend who was still muttering about how Marvel movies were overrated.

"Oi, Octavio you're going to dance with me next Friday right?" She calls over to him and he looks up at her and smiles brightly.

"Of course my love. I'd be honored." He replies winking at her making her giggle. Riley quickly wormed her way into his heart and was grateful to have such an amazing girl in his life. She was like a little sister to him and he knew she thought of him as a big brother. He loves that she still wears the bag he gave her that he put hermana on the strap.

"See Zoe, I don't need a date, I got Octavio." She says and Zoe rolls her eyes at the exchange.

"Octavio doesn't count, he's your brother. He's not going to lead you behind the bleachers for some love." She shoots back making both cringe at her.

"As gorgeous as Riley is, she's mi hermana and you know I'd punch anyone who tried using her for a hook up." He points his finger at Zoe who holds her hand up in surrender.

"I'm just saying." She muttered and both Riley and Octavio rolled their eyes at her. Zoe loved to play match maker, but sometimes she trying to get things to play out like one of her books and most of the time that doesn't happen.

"So Farkle are you and Smackle doing anything special for the dance?" Riley asked trying to change the subject of her lack of a love life.

Farkle shrugs nochalantly. He knows something; well he's Farkle he knows a lot of things, but he knows something he can't tell Riley so he has to play it cool. Problem is, he's never been very cool.

"I think we are going to grab dinner before we go to the dance; you know the food is always horrible at these things." He stutters a little but Riley doesn't seem to notice how weird he's acting, Mike, Octavio, and Zay however did and give him a look.

"Yeah that's what we are planning on doing for prom! I figured if I don't get a girlfriend by then I'm dragging one of you with me so I don't have to suffer alone." Octavio says and Mike looks at him offended.

"Hey I thought I was going to be your date?" Mike glares at the senior and Octavio's eyes widen; he honestly forgot.

"Shit, sorry bro I forgot about that. Never mind." That's the thing their group loved about the older boy, he kept his word to everyone. He wasn't like most of the Senior class who went to parties every week, drank, did drugs, or used girls for his own needs. He just wanted to have real connections to people; that's why him and Riley got along so well. They were very similar.

She knows just by looking around there are some girls that would love to have Octavio's attention, but for some reason he never noticed the attention people besides his friends gave him.

"Well maybe we can meet at my mom's shop before the dance and grab some food?" Riley suggests and everyone thinks that would be a good idea.

After lunch, Octavio and Mike drag Farkle to a quiet area so he can spill whatever he knows.

XOXOXO

On the night of the dance, Riley was putting the finishing touches on her makeup. She looked at her reflection in her full length mirror and gave a small smile. Zoe and Lucy insisted on her buying this short deep red dress. The beautiful piece had a modest neckline but also showed how much she's been developing since she reached high school and had an open back. When she tried it on in the store, even Smackle said she had to buy it. She decided to put her hair up in a twisted bun with some hair framing her face, did her eye makeup dark and smokey, while she kept her lips neutral colored. It made Riley feel older, not just cute but maybe a little sexy for a fourteen year old. Not that she was looking to impress anyone (liar, she knows she's trying to impress Lucas).

She double checked that her eye liner wasn't running and took a deep breath. Out of habit, she glanced towards the most recent photo of her and Maya that was taken at last year's homecoming. Riley went with Zoe, and Maya went with her friends from her art class. When they ran into each other they both complimented how the other looked before posing for the photo with each other. As soon as the flash went off and they agreed the photo was a keeper, they wished each other a great night and went their own way. Even though Maya wasn't here, sometimes she thought about how she wished to be as strong as her.

It was strange how things changed for her and Maya. Friendships drift apart in high school; for Maya is a was a slow drift but it seemed to be for the better for her. Whenever Riley sees her in the halls she has a bright smile on her face and she still knew Maya well enough to know that her smile was a genuine one. They talk on occasion just to make sure the other was good but they don't really hang out much.

She hears a knock on her door and yells at whoever it is to come in and turns to see her mom peeking inside her room.

"Oh honey, you look gorgeous! Those girls were not lying when they said that dress was perfect for you." Topanga gushes when she sees her daughter looking so grown up. For the longest time, her and her only daughter didn't have the best relationship but now that was a distant memory. Her and Riley couldn't be closer now and it warmed her heart.

"Thanks mom! Can you actually take a photo of me so I can send it to Uncle Eric and Uncle Josh? I promised them I'd show them so they don't feel excluded." She jokes but her eyes light up when she talks about her uncles.

"Of course!" Topanga takes her phone and takes a couple of photos for her to send to her family including a silly picture where her eyes are crossed and her tongue is hanging out.

"Thanks mom! I should head downstairs, I'm sure the guys are waiting for me." She says before giving her a hug goodbye.

"Honey, I hope you have an amazing night." Her mom says to her seriously making Riley look at her confused.

"I'll be careful mom; I promise. I'll be with everyone the whole time and if anyone gives me trouble, Octavio, Lucas, Mike, and Farkle will have them running." She smiles happily thinking of her amazing friends.

Topanga smiles and nods before she places a kiss on the top of her head. When the older woman closes the door she breaks out in a giant grin thinking of the surprise that awaited her at her shop.

XOXOX

Riley happily walks down to her parent's shop, expecting to hear all her friends complaining how close she was to being late, but when she gets closer to the shop, she hears only silence. She's surprised when she sees the Closed sign on the door. Maybe Katy had to leave a little early.

She opens the door and looks around only to see Lucas standing on the side of the shop, dressed in a tux looking nervous. He was holding a bouquet of pink stargazer lilies, her favorite flowers in his hands but when he sees her he places them on a table.

"Hey Lucas. You look great." Riley breaths as she looks at his dashing appearance. Last year he couldn't go to the dance because he had to make a trip to Texas to visit his family so she only saw him in a tux at Katy and Shawn's wedding. He looked amazing. His hair was slicked back making him look a little older in his black suit and deep red tie.

"Wow...Riley you...you look gorgeous!" Lucas' eyes are wide as he takes in the beautiful woman before him. She looked like a goddess in her red dress; it was short enough to show off her long and slender legs but not short enough to look like she was trying too hard like most girls; she looked perfect in every way possible.

Riley blushed at the compliment. "Thank you. Where is everyone?" She asked looking around for her group of friends. They said they would be here and if they weren't here soon Riley knew she would make a fool of herself and tell Lucas she still had feelings for him; how she's always had feelings for him.

Lucas took a deep breath as if he was preparing to say something very important.

"I asked them if we could meet them at the dance because I wanted to talk to you." He says walking a little closer to her.

Riley's eyes widen as he walks closer to her but she doesn't move. She's not sure what she's expecting but she's going to prepare herself for anything.

Lucas takes her hands in his and looks her deep in the eyes.

"Riley, this past year I feel like you and I have gotten closer than we ever have before. Before we got to 8th grade, before that stupid semi-formal messed us up, before we went to Texas, before we went to high school and you started broadening your horizons to the world. We got to know things about each other no one else knew and I don't think you realize it, but Wednesday is my absolute favorite day of the week because I know I get to spend those couple hours with just you. You have always been important to me Riley, I hope you know that. " He starts and Riley smiles at him thinking about how their friendship has grown so much since they started having their Wednesday hang outs together. It was true, she told him things she never told anyone before. She learned to trust him in a way she was always afraid to before.

" In the past year, my feelings for you have only gotten stronger. It was almost six months ago I realized how hard I fell for you. The more I got to know you, the more I realized that it was always you Riley. You have always been the one for me. I was so afraid of my feelings for you because I didn't want to lose you. I cherish the time we have together. You make me laugh when I have horrible days, you believe in me when no one else does. You are not only beautiful, smart, funny, and an amazing person but you are my best friend. I was so afraid to tell you my feelings because no matter what I want you to be in my life. I don't know what I would do without you." His hands are gripping hers tighter as if he's holding onto her for dear life, afraid she was going to walk out the door and never come back.

"Lucas..." Riley starts to say as tears well up in her eyes but he shakes his head.

"Please...just let me get this out?" He asks and she nods her head.

"I told you so long ago that my moment will be my moment. I will never be able to express how sorry I am for making you wait so long but if you let me..." He says before letting go of her hands and getting down on his knees before her. She was full out crying now but promised to let him finish.

He takes a black velvet box from his pocket and opens it up. Inside was a stunning ruby red heart necklace.

"If you let me, I will spend the rest of our lives making you know I AM worth it. I will spend everyday showing you how loved you are; how amazing I think you are. I love you Riley Mathews, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" He asks her patiently waiting for her answer.

Riley lets out a cry before she jumps into his arms so forcefully they both fall on the floor. Before Lucas can apologize, she crushes her lips on his and kisses him like she's wanted to since she turned twelve. All the emotions she's been bottling up were let out in their kiss.

Lucas kisses her back with just as much fever. Their first kiss was chaste at best; both too nervous and not ready to express their feelings anyway else. This time, however, they were more than ready. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer to him.

They kiss until they couldn't breathe and reluctantly pull away. They are both breathing heavily but have giant smiles on their faces.

"For the record...that was a yes right?" Lucas has to ask and she just laughs and gives him a hug.

"That is a definite yes." She whispers before giving him another quick kiss. They both stand up and fix themselves up before they hear a very familiar voice calling their names.

"Please tell me you both are NOT decent!" Zoe yells from the back room making them both laugh.

"We are decent you goof! Now come out here." Riley yells happily and before she even finishes Zoe runs out and gives them both bone crushing hugs.

"Ah! I'm so happy for you guys I knew it was only a matter of time." Zoe says happily before Riley sees Octavio, Lucy, Mike, Farkle, Zay, and Smackle come out all smiles.

"Finally!" They all yell happily before giving Riley hugs of congratulations.

"Did you guys help him set this up?" She asked them and they all give little smirks.

"Not exactly! Prince Charming here, asked not only your parent's permission to ask you to be his girlfriend, but he asked your uncles, and all of us!" Lucy says happily making Lucas start blushing heavily.

Riley goes over to him and kisses him again. She doesn't think she can get enough of him.

"I can't believe you did that for me." She whispers into his lips making him give her a tender smile.

"You are worth so much more." He whispers back at her.

When they break up, they finally are able to make their way to Mike and Octavio's cars so they can head to the dance.

"Don't worry hermana, everyone already threatened to kill him if he hurt you again." Octavio says as him, Riley, Lucas, and Zoe get inside.

Zoe turns to them from the front seat and gives a serious nod.

"That's right cowboy, if I hear one serious bad thing, you're done with me." Zoe threatens and Lucas nods in understanding.

"Don't worry guys, I'm never letting her go again."

Riley looks at him and knows this time will be different. They weren't twelve, thirteen years old anymore. They have grown so much since then and she knows he wouldn't hurt her. He loves her.

"I know you won't. And for the record...I love you too." She tells him making him smile brighter than the sun.

THE END!


End file.
